Rebels G Matthew Murrell Withdraws From NBA Draft, Will Return To Ole Miss For Senior Season
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Chris Beard got some good news Tuesday.
Rebels guard Matthew Murrell, who declared for the 2023 NBA Draft April 4, will return to Oxford for his senior season, he told ESPN.
"After gathering feedback from my workouts and team personnel, I am going to continue to build my game at Ole Miss, so I am in the position I want to be in for the 2024 NBA draft," Murrell said. "I know who I am as a player and how that can translate to the NBA."
Murrell was reportedly "not drawing a great deal of interest from NBA teams" at the scouting combine, but at his individual pro day is where he showcased his athleticism.
"Murrell took advantage of the platform and then some, looking like one of the most vertically explosive athletes in the class while shooting the ball better than expected in drills and making several eye-popping plays that only a handful of players outside the NBA are capable of," ESPN wrote.
Despite his 2- and 3-point-shooting percentages taking a dip during his junior season, Murrell's scoring average rose to a career-high 14.4 points per game in 2022-23.
The Memphis, TN. native earned his living at the charity stripe, though, knocking down 84.3 percent of his 108 free throw attempts — the third-highest clip in the Southeastern Conference last season.
Coming off a disappointing 12-21 season and 3-15 record in conference play, Murrell's return only adds to the buzz in Oxford.
In addition to bringing back their top two scorers from last year in Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield, the Rebels three commits in the class of 2023 — headlined by the top player in Arkansas in center Rashaud Marshall — and four four-star transfers, including Georgetown's Brandon Murray and Oklahoma State's Moussa Cisse.
You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter at @casey_smith2419
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.
Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.
Want even more Ole Miss Rebels News? Check out the SI.com team page here
