SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Sports) - The Utah Jazz selected shooting guard Kevin Murphy with the 47th overall pick of the second round in the 2012 NBA Draft.
The 6-7, 185-pound native of Atlanta scored 2,019 points, 535 rebounds and 248 assists in four years at Tennessee Tech University. During the 2011-12 season, Murphy averaged 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 34.5 minutes. Murphy scored 50 points in one game against SIU Edwardsville.
Murphy, who ranks second all-time at Tennessee Tech in scoring, was twice named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team as well as the OVC All-Tournament Team.
Murphy has good size for a shooting guard and is known as a solid 3-pointer shooter, something the Jazz lacked last season.
"I'm just blessed to be picked," said Murphy. "I can play on any level. I'm excited to come [to Utah]. I feel I'll be alright."
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said he likes Murphy's scoring ability and maturity.
"He plays with a chip on his shoulder," O'Connor said.
O'Connor also said he did try to trade into the first round of the draft, but, "nobody was that interested. Most of the trade talk ended after two sentences. I could have made a trade, but you wouldn't have liked who I traded."
