STARKVILLE— Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Chris Jans called it an “exciting day” when the veteran striker KeShawn Murphy He told the third-year coach that he wanted to remain a Bulldog.
“It was going to be a dog (Bull),” Jans told local media Wednesday during his annual summer press conference. “I’m very happy that he made that decision.”
Following the end of last basketball season, which concluded with Mississippi State’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to state of michiganMurphy, a redshirt sophomore, opted to enter his name into the transfer portal on April 10. Ten days later, he withdrew his name and decided to stay in Starkville for one more season.
With decision making, whether it be high school recruiting, NBA Draft decisions or the portal, Jans said he has felt the best way to handle things is to give the player time to figure things out. With Murphy, Jans simply gave him space until he made a decision about his future in basketball.
“We love having you here,” Jans said. “But at the same time, rules are rules and options are options. That approach has served us well so far.”
In 21 games last season, playing 13 minutes per game, Murphy averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.9% from the floor. He missed Mississippi State’s first five games of the season due to an offseason foot injury.
Murphy also left the team early in Southeastern Conference play, missing eight straight games due to “personal matters”, and returned for the Bulldogs’ home win over Georgia.
By midseason, it looked like Murphy had worked his way into becoming a vital depth piece for the Bulldogs, scoring in double figures in back-to-back wins over old miss in Starkville and at LSU. However, he scored just four points in Mississippi State’s final six games of the year.
This season, Murphy will be one of the veteran voices in the Bulldogs’ forward group, due to first-team All-SEC. Tolu Smithand backing Jimmy Bell, both exhausting their college eligibility. Jans used the portal to bring Michael Nwoko (Miami) and Jeremy Foumena (Rhode Island), but none of them have two years of experience in the SEC, like Murphy.
It remains to be seen what Murphy’s role will be in that group in October and November, but likely off the bench. Jans, however, is glad it’s with his program and not somewhere else in the college basketball world.
“It wasn’t a sales pitch,” Jans said of getting Murphy back. “I always feel like, at that point, you have a young guy in your program and you’re selling him as a new recruit. If I were a current player, he’d look at me like, ‘What are you talking about?’. I just passed nine, 10 months around you every day of what it will be like.
“I’m telling you exactly what I’m telling you. I’m not going to recruit you again. You know who we are and we love you. But I understand. If you feel like you need to look around and compare and contrast a little, I understand. We’re going to help you.” give time and space.”
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