New season, new mindset for Mississippi State junior KeShawn Murphy
KeShawn Murphy has experienced an interesting offseason and even saying that is an understatement. And that journey started not long after the Mississippi State forward concluded his redshirt sophomore campaign last March.
Not long after State finished the season with a loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, Murphy opted to enter the transfer portal. Obviously, in the end the Alabama native opted to stay put in Starkville. During that process, Murphy appreciated the way head coach Chris Jans supported his decision regardless of which route Murphy took.
“(Jans) handled it the proper way,” Murphy recalled. “He gave me time to think about it. He knew who I was as a person and we really got along. It helped in the long run.”
Once his Bulldog future was secured, Murphy simply went to work. Over the past few months, his teammates and coaches alike have complimented Murphy for his offseason progress. In fact, Jans even called Murphy the most improved player on the team.
And according to Murphy, his biggest change was on the mental side.
“Really my mindset, a personal mindset,” Murphy explained. “I feel like I had to step up as a leader as someone who has been here before as a returner. I had to take things seriously.”
A year ago Murphy mostly served as the backup at power forward. He averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds a game while averaging 13.3 minutes on the court in his 21 games played.
“I feel like I’ve worked on my game so much,” Murphy added. “Inside and out, I really can’t tell you how much I worked on (mid-range game). I really put everything together to become a dominant player.”
Of course, Murphy’s biggest offseason need was to improve his play on the defensive end of the court. His offensive capabilities have been quite evident since he first stepped on campus. But for a Jans-led team, he knows his defensive efforts have to improve.
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“More agility,” noted Murphy. “I feel like I’ve got better agility now where I can defend one through five so I wouldn’t struggle as much as I did last year. Maybe the game was a little bit faster for me last year. I feel like I have caught up with the speed.”
Overall, Murphy is just one of a few returnees on this year’s roster, at least among the guys who regularly played last season. The offseason brought about a lot of new faces in the backcourt along with improved offensive firepower and perimeter shooting. No longer will the Bulldogs feed the post on a consistent basis and that presents a different playing style for Jans and company.
“Oh it’s very different,” remarked Murphy of the team’s style of play. “I feel like we’re getting up more shots. We’re playing at a faster pace and we’re running. It’s just a different system than I’ve been in since I’ve been here.”
And with the increase in talent and depth, that has also brought about a new “confidence” with Murphy and his teammates. As Jans often says, the season is a marathon and not a sprint. And remaining focused and on task this season could produce dividends when postseason opportunities come around in March.
“It’s really just confidence in where we are,” Murphy mentioned. “And being together as a team. I feel like we can get pretty far if we stay patient, humble and just do what we have to do. I feel like we will end up in a very good spot.”
