Trey Murphy III’s offseason chatter with the New Orleans Pelicans has a human twist: the 25-year-old recently described the “really crazy” college moment in 2018 when he found out he was about to face Ricky Rubio—then watched Rubio hit seven threes in a way th
By the time Trey Murphy III started talking about Ricky Rubio, you could hear the disbelief still stuck in his throat.
The New Orleans Pelicans wing—an all-around forward who has been tied to trade rumors since last season and is now reportedly being shopped around again in the offseason—was in “Young Man & the Three” telling a story from his freshman year in college in 2018. Murphy said it happened in Spain. in a “tiny gym. ” and that everything started with a detail he couldn’t place.
“We’re warming up. layup lines. and I shoot my layup and go back to the other line where you’re about to rebound. I look on the other end, and I see this dude in a full-arm (tattoo) sleeve. I’m like, ‘He kind of looks like Ricky Rubio. But why would Ricky Rubio be playing against Rice University right now?’” Murphy said.
The answer came when Murphy’s coach confirmed what Murphy had only guessed at. Ricky Rubio—then with the Utah Jazz—was actually suiting up.
Murphy admitted it hit him like a reality check. “I haven’t played one college game yet. I’m about to play against Ricky Rubio. He hit seven threes. The thing was, he wasn’t that great of a shooter in the league,” he added. Then came the gut-punch of the math: “So I’m like. ‘If he’s hitting seven threes against us. what does that mean for me?’ I was amazed by that. I can’t lie to you. It was crazy. He made us look like we were kids.”.
That kind of moment helps explain why Murphy’s stock inside the NBA keeps rising. even as trade speculation follows him. In his fifth year with the Pelicans, Murphy averaged career highs of 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. He has also been described as one of the NBA’s most versatile players, improving his numbers steadily every season.
The path to that versatility started far from the spotlight. Murphy began at Rice University as an unknown prospect before transferring to Virginia. Now. at age 25. he’s becoming the kind of name teams look at—and with the Pelicans reportedly shopping him around. his performances from recent seasons are the type of evidence general managers tend to lean on.
Rubio’s own basketball journey has also run a long, winding course. He played 12 years in the NBA, averaging 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.8 steals. Many people liked playing with him because of his vision and unselfishness. In 2023, Rubio took a break to focus on his mental health. The following year, he announced his retirement after a contract buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He has since returned to playing, and he is currently with Joventut Badalona.
Back in that “tiny gym” in Spain, though, Murphy didn’t have the benefit of hindsight. He was a freshman preparing to play his first college game—and he walked into the matchup thinking it would be one kind of challenge. then got blindsided by seven threes from the man he had only recognized by the tattoos.
That’s the story he chose to tell while his own name is beginning to circulate again: one reminder that reputations can look solid until the first real test arrives—suddenly, and for real.
Trey Murphy III New Orleans Pelicans Ricky Rubio trade rumors Young Man & the Three Rice University Virginia Utah Jazz Joventut Badalona NBA offseason