A Dose Of Reality About Utah Jazz Second Round Pick Kevin Murphy

Almost three hours after the NBA Draft began where really the best moments was the back and forth between fans booing David Stern and the commissioner’s enjoyment in said reaction, the Utah Jazz finally made their pick at No. 47 in the second round–Kevin Murphy of Tennessee Tech.

The propaganda machine immediately kicked into gear. Did you know Murphy had the highest scoring game in college basketball this season–50 points (video above)? That he’s considered a shooter–something the Jazz clearly lack? That he considers himself a scorer? That he graduated from school and is clearly a family man married with a child?

Now a dose of reality. Did you know he needs to eat because he stands 6-foot-7 but weighs just 185-pounds? That 46 other players were selected before him and there is probably a reason for that? That his 50-point game was against a school by the name of SIU-Edwardsville? Other teams he went off on included Appalachian State, Wilberforce, Lipscomb, Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay, etc? That against their only two “BCS” opponents he scored just seven points against West Virginia and 13 versus Miami (FL)? And that he ended his career with just seven points in a 31 point loss to Georgia State in the CIT Tournament? Now to his credit he did perform well against the only ranked team he played against in Murray State scoring 19, 26 and 31 points all ending in losses.

In all fairness we have no clue how Murphy will turn out. If you are a believer in Jazz General Manager Kevin O’Connor then he may very well become a serviceable player considering his decent track record with second round picks. But in all likelihood he won’t. And while several other Western Conference teams seemed to improve themselves in this draft the Jazz essentially did nothing. Unless of course you’re buying into the propaganda which then means Murphy may be the missing piece to finally win the Jazz that title. Might want to start chiseling that statue to put in between Stockton and Malone.