New Auburn Tigers Forward Named Top 5 Transfer Portal Best Fit by The Athletic

New Auburn Tigers forward KeShawn Murphy left Starkville, Miss. for the Plains to the surprise of no one. In all honesty, Mississippi State is not really on the basketball map right now,  and Auburn just played in a Final Four. 

As a result, the transfer to Auburn made the most sense for the 6-foot-10 post player. The Athletic’s Brendan Marks thinks it made so much sense as to name Murphy to Auburn as one of his top-five transfer portal fits in college basketball.

"Most of Auburn’s Final Four roster, including All-American center Johni Broome, is gone, meaning it’s time for Bruce Pearl to restock,” wrote Marks on The Athletic. “That’s where Murphy comes in, as a plug-and-play frontcourt piece with proven success in the SEC."

Make no mistake, no one with firing synapses will ever expect Murphy to ever affect the Auburn basketball program the way that Johni Broome did. However, the void left by Broome creates an opening for Murphy that he fills nicely. 

“At 6 feet 10 and 230 pounds, Murphy is almost exclusively an interior player offensively, but he’s a smart cutter who should excel in Pearl’s Flex offense,” Marks continued. “But where Murphy really thrives is as a pick-and-roll roller, and the pairing with Tahaad Pettiford on ball screens will be scary.”

Unlike Broome, who could step out behind the arc. Murphy feels comfortable going to the basket. Like a wide receiver with a feel for the boundary line, Murphy will chop his stride, break down and use body control at the rim. Once there, you will see a few different shots. 

First, a nice jump hook that floats over the window. Next, he attacks the glass, banging in layups. Lastly, with the dunks, it's more emphatic and final that anything else. Most importantly, Murphy doesn't use anything cute or finesse. The Tigers big man understands the assignment. 

Murphy steps into the limelight at Auburn. He will not attempt to be anyone but himself. Bruce Pearl sees a player that can start and possess a few different offensive options. 

For himself, Murphy hopes to keep the winning going and possibly parlay this into a professional future. As a result, every loose ball, you will see him chase and pursue. Those loose balls lead to second-chance points and extra possessions which could mean the difference between winning and losing.