Trey Murphy III Scores 30 Points in Return From Injury

Zion Williamson's return from a one-game suspension dominated the headlines leading into Sunday's NBA game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, but Williamson wasn't the only Pelican star who returned to the court on Sunday. After missing the last three games due to a left ankle sprain, former Virginia basketball star Trey Murphy III returned to action and scored 30 points in a valiant performance, but it wasn't enough to lift his team to a win as the last-place Pelicans fell to the reigning NBA Champion Celtics 120-119.

Williamson scored 16 points in his return, but he was overshadowed by the return of Murphy, who shot 10/17 from the floor, 5/10 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 5/5 from the free throw line and also recorded six rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes on the floor. Murphy's 30 points were his third-most in a game this season. Watch his highlights from the game in the video below:

The 2024-2025 New Orleans Pelicans season has been derailed by significant injuries to the franchise's top players in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who have both missed extended time. The Pelicans have the worst record in the Western Conference and the second-worst record in the entire National Basketball Association at 8-32.

But those less than ideal circumstances have also produced a breakout season for Trey Murphy III, who is beginning to show that he can be a star in this league. Murphy is averaging career-highs nearly across the board, increasing his scoring average by more than six points over last season while maintaining an elite level of efficiency on a higher usage rate. He has started 21 of the 23 games he has played in, scored in double figures in every single game, has 12 games with 20 or more points, and Sunday marked his third game with at least 30 points scored this season. If he keeps up this level of play for the rest of the season, Murphy could very well end up taking home the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.

Trey Murphy III with 30-7-4 on 10/17 in the one-point loss at Boston

The 24-year-old is averaging 23.3 PPG on 64.8% TS (49/41/95) over his last 15 games, and 21.0 PPG on 59.9% TS on the year

Don’t let the woes of the Pelicans obfuscate one of this season’s most impressive leaps pic.twitter.com/Jum11WihXM
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 13, 2025

As the Pelicans ask themselves some difficult questions about the direction of the franchise moving forward and consider a potential rebuild, Trey Murphy III could end up being one of the stars New Orleans builds around.

Murphy was one of five former Virginia basketball players who saw action in NBA games on Sunday. Murphy's old UVA teammate Sam Hauser was on the other side of that Pelicans-Celtics game and he had three points, two rebounds, and an assist in nine minutes of action.

Both UVA's rookies in the league played on Sunday as well. Reece Beekman posted four points, two assists, and a rebound in 12 minutes off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets in their 112-111 loss to the Utah Jazz in overtime, while Ryan Dunn got the start and registered 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal to help the Phoenix Suns defeat the Charlotte Hornets 120-113.

Finally, Anthony Gill had four points on all free throws in five minutes for the Washington Wizards in their 136-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Malcolm Brogdon is currently sidelined from the Wizards with a foot injury and Ty Jerome missed Sunday's Cleveland Cavaliers game with an illness.

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