‘I will do whatever it takes to win’: American import Derek Murphy set to take Gators to the next level

An athletic six-foot-five forward that hails from Detroit, Murphy comes to the Shepparton Gators as one of the most accomplished recruits in the club’s history.

At 26 years of age, his career has already taken him to all corners of the globe.

A talented prospect coming out of high school, Murphy blossomed as a player in his five years of college hoops at Florida Tech, as he averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game from 91 matches between 2015 and 2020.

With that crucial college experience under his belt, he then turned professional in 2021, initially playing one season with The Basketball League outfit Detroit Hustle before taking his talents to Europe.

This move saw him land in Luxembourg’s Total Basketball League, where over the past two seasons he has suited up for two clubs in Racing Lux (2021-22) and AS Soleuvre (2022-23).

So having scaled the heights of professional basketball, what drew Murphy to Shepparton and Big V’s division one competition?

Well, he said the chance to play in Australia and add to his resume was something he could not pass up.

“I have always had aspirations of playing in Australia, a lot of professionals over in Europe had told me how good the quality was down here, and with it being the off-season over there I thought I’d give it a go,” Murphy said.

“My agent quickly came up with some openings in Australia, so we sat down, looked through all the options and came to the conclusion that Shepparton would be the best fit for me.”

Making the move from luxurious Luxembourg to the streets of the 3630, there was always going to be a bit of a culture shock for Murphy as he assimilated to his new home.

But he said despite the town being a tad smaller than what he is used to, the first few weeks in Shepparton had been nothing but positive.

“The town is nice, it’s not a big city like I’m used to being from Detroit, it’s kind of the opposite with you guys operating off just one road,” he said.

“But I like it, it’s a very tight-knit community and everybody supports myself and the team which is great.

“I feel like everyone welcomed me with open arms, it was like everyone knew me before I arrived, and as far as the team goes we have gelled instantly which has been very exciting.”

On the floor, Murphy has been impressed with the Gators’ team-first approach, something he admitted he had not really seen during his most recent basketball stints.

“It’s really cool, the guys really play together and we have an even spread of contributors, which is something I haven’t really been used to,” he said.

“The level of basketball here is really high and I really like our team, I feel we are really deep and everybody brings something to the table which I think will see us have a lot of success.”

While he has embraced the Gators’ mantra, he still understands when it comes to the offensive side of the ball he is the man, and is set to provide fans with highlight plays throughout the season.

“My main strength is the fact that I’m an aggressive player, I will do whatever it takes to win,” he said.

“Driving to the basket I feel like I’m unstoppable, and I’ve really improved my shot over the journey as well.

“I’m a highlight reel type guy, so I can’t wait to throw down some nasty dunks and put together some big plays for the crowd.”

As for what he wanted to get out of his foray into Australian basketball — he said his goal was clear.

“I want to win the championship, anything less to me is a failure,” he said.

“Especially since they came up just short last year, anything other than winning it all is a let-down for Shepparton and hopefully I can help get the squad over the hurdle.

“For me, the individual goals will come with winning so I’m not too worried about that.”