Trey Murphy III

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Murphy was born in Durham, North Carolina, to his mother, Albeda, and father, Kenneth Murphy Jr. He played high school basketball at Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina, where, as a senior, he averaged 24.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49.4% from the floor, 43.6% from beyond the three-point line, and 85.8% from the free-throw stripe. On October 4, 2017, Murphy committed to playing college basketball for Rice. He had a notable growth spurt within high school, standing 5'8 as a freshman and not reaching 6'4 until his senior year. He continued to grow in university, reaching his current height of 6'8 by the time of his draft. As a freshman at Rice, he played in all 32 games, coming off the bench 31 times, and averaged 8.4 points and 2.6 rebounds. He ranked fourth in Conference USA in three-point field goal percentage (42.1%) and set the school freshman record for three-point field goal percentage. As a sophomore, he led the Owls in scoring with 13.7 points and recorded 25 double-figure scoring games with two double-doubles. On March 30, 2020, Murphy entered the transfer portal, and on April 14, 2020, he transferred to Virginia. Due to COVID-19, he did not have to sit out a year and was granted three years of immediate eligibility. Coming off the bench, Murphy scored 21 points while shooting 7-of-9 from the field in the Cavaliers' season opener in Bubbleville. He made his first start against William & Mary in late December 2020 and started the remainder of the season. As a junior, he averaged 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. After posting a highly efficient 50–40–90 season under Tony Bennett at Virginia, Murphy declared for the 2021 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility. On June 21, 2021, Murphy announced that he signed with an agent, forgoing his remaining eligibility with Virginia and ending his collegiate career.

In Their Own Story

On January 4, 2026, Trey Murphy III made his 693rd career three-pointer and finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block in a 125–106 loss to the Miami Heat. He also surpassed CJ McCollum to become the all-time leader in three-pointers made in Pelicans franchise history. Two days later, on January 6, Murphy put up a then career-high 42 points in a 111–103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. From the start of January to the middle of the month, Murphy averaged 31.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. During January he had games with 25 points or more on the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and Brooklyn Nets. On February 4, Murphy put up a career-high 44 points in a 141–137 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Earlier in his career, on March 12, 2023, Murphy put up a season-high and a then career-high 41 points in a 127–110 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. On February 5, 2023, Murphy scored a then season-high 30 points, alongside four rebounds and two assists, in a 136–104 win over the Sacramento Kings. In February 2023, Murphy was selected to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at All Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah. He made it to the final round, but was defeated by Mac McClung.

Reader's Guide

Trey Murphy III wears jersey number 25 for the New Orleans Pelicans, operating primarily as a wing player. He was selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. On August 10, 2021, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Pelicans. On October 20, Murphy made his NBA debut, recording six points and two assists in a 117–97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Pelicans qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2018 and faced the Phoenix Suns during their first round series. Murphy made his playoff debut on April 17, recording six points, four rebounds and two assists in a 110–99 Game 1 loss. The Pelicans ended up losing the series in six games. During his rookie season, Murphy had multiple assignments to the Pelicans' G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron. On October 3, 2024, the Pelicans announced that Murphy would miss the start of the regular season due to a right hamstring strain that he suffered during an evening practice at their training camp. On October 21, Murphy signed a four-year, $112 million extension with the Pelicans. He played in 53 games (51 starts) for New Orleans during the season, averaging career-highs in points (21.2), rebounds (5.1), and assists (3.5). On March 17, 2025, it was announced that Murphy would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn labrum and partial tear of the rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Did You Know?

• Murphy's father, Kenneth, played at East Carolina from 1986 to 1988.
• Murphy goes by 'Trey' because his father goes by 'Kenny' and his grandfather goes by 'Ken'.
• Murphy set the Rice school freshman record for three-point field goal percentage (42.1%).
• Murphy became the most recent (as of 2026) Men's NCAA basketball player to post a 50–40–90 season, with a 50–43–93 tally in the 2020–21 season at Virginia.
• Murphy surpassed CJ McCollum to become the all-time leader in three-pointers made in Pelicans franchise history on January 4, 2026.