The New Orleans Pelicans won't have any representation in the All-Star Game itself, but that doesn't mean you'll be left out in the cold this upcoming All-Star weekend up in Utah.
There will be two opportunities to watch the young and upcoming win Trey Murphy III, both in the Jordan Rising Stars game on Feb. 17 alongside teammate Jose Alvarado, and then in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 18, for which he was a late addition.
"In all honesty I was just doing a lot really good in-game dunks, and I know I have a lot of tricks in my bag when it comes to dunking," Murphy said in an interview with team reporter Erin Summers. "And so there was a little push in the organization that helped me get into the dunk contest."
The other participants will be Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin, G League guard and dunking sensation Mac McClung and New York Knicks center Jericho Sims. Portland Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe was initially expected to be a participant, but opted against it. Murphy was officially invited to participate on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
It's a bit of a surreal moment for Murphy, considering he didn't even start dunking until his senior year of high school. The 22-year-old went on to play his first two college seasons at Rice, then transferred to Virginia for his final season before he was selected No. 17 overall by the Pelicans in the 2021 NBA draft. This time of year during his rookie season, Murphy was still seeing limited action, but he's flourished in an expanded role this season, regularly showcasing his athleticism alongside 3-point sharpshooting with averages of 13.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and a steal over an average of 29.5 minutes per game.
“It means a lot, especially because a year ago around this time I wasn’t playing much, just trying to find my way within the NBA," he continued, "and now I’m doing pretty well and excelling in what I’m doing, so just very thankful and grateful for all the work I’ve put in.”
The prep for the contest itself is something Murphy is currently working on, though he's conscious of the need to balance that with game prep. The Pelicans face the Lakers on the road Wednesday evening for their final game before the extended layoff. Still, he won't give anything away as to his plans for the contest itself.
“Tune in Feb. 18 and you will see what I have in store for you," he said.
The Pelicans' other chosen representative for this year's NBA showcase was Zion Williamson, who was voted as a starter for the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. Williamson indicated after the announcement that he hoped to play in the game despite a hamstring injury that had kept him off the floor since Jan. 2. Unfortunately he suffered a setback in practice, as reported by EVP David Griffin last week, and he'll not only miss the game, but is expected to be absent for multiple weeks following the break.
