Robert Murphy Sr. (born September 19, 1973) is an American basketball executive, former coach and player. He is currently the Assistant General Manager of the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...

(NBA) and President of the

Motor City Cruise The Motor City Cruise are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Detroit, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. The Cruise play their home games at Wayne State Fieldhouse. The franchise began play a ...

of the

NBA G League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA De ...

, the affiliate of the Pistons. He previously served as the head men's basketball coach for the

Eastern Michigan Eagles The Eastern Michigan Eagles, formerly known as the Normalites and the Hurons, are the athletic teams for Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. The Eagles compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA ...

from 2011 to 2021. Murphy, an inductee of the Central State University Alumni Achievement Hall of Fame, March 1, 2022 and also an inductee of the Mumford High School Hall of Fame, October 1, 2019.

College

Rob Murphy attended and played for

Central State University Central State University (CSU) is a public, historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Established by the state legislature in 1887 as a two-year program for t ...

basketball program in

Wilberforce, Ohio Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,271 at the 2010 census, up from 1,579 at the 2000 census. History After Wilberforce College was established in 1856, the community was a ...

from 1992–1996. Murphy was a two-time team captain during his junior and senior campaigns. Murphy was also named the Marauders' Defensive Player of the Year as a senior while playing for former

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United ...

point guard, Kevin Porter. Murphy was inducted into the CSU Hall of Fame March 1, 2022.

High school coaching career

After graduating from Central State, Murphy was hired as an associate head coach at Central High School in Detroit from 1996–1998. After the team reached the state finals in his first year, Detroit Central won a Class A state title in 1998. Murphy was then hired as head coach at Crockett Technical High School in Detroit. Among his players was Maurice Ager, who was the first-round draft choice of the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. The ...

. Murphy had an overall record of 64–20 at Crockett Technical and was named

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

All-Metro Coach of the Year after his club won the Class B state championship in 2001.

College coaching career

Murphy joined

Kent State Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in Ash ...

in 2002 as an assistant coach. The Golden Flashes were 21–10 overall and 12–6 in the Mid-American Conference in 2002–03. Kent State reached the final of the MAC Tournament Championship and earned an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament. Murphy was instrumental in the recruitment of

Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the Pr ...

to Kent State in which Gates led the Flashes to the Elite 8. Murphy coached

at Detroit Central HS and Kent State. Following the 2004 season, when

Syracuse Orange The Syracuse Orange are the athletic teams that represent Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Until 2013, Syracuse was a member of the Big East Conference. The school's mascot is O ...

assistant coach Troy Weaver left for a coaching position with the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference, Northwest Division. Since the 1991–92 season, ...

, Murphy was hired by the Orange. Murphy was known for developing versatile forward position players with the Orange. Some of the players he tutored include

Hakim Warrick Hakim Hanif Warrick (born July 8, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange from 2001 to 2005. Warrick won an NCAA championship in 2003 and blocked a potential game-tying thre ...

Terrence Roberts Terrence James Roberts (born December 3, 1941) is one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who, in 1957, were the first black students ever to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. In ...

Donte Greene Donte is a given name. Notable people with the given name include: * Donté Clark (born 1977), American poet *Donté Forbes (born 2005) Jamaican football player * Donté Curry (born 1978), American football player *Donte Foster (born 1990), Ameri ...

, Wesley Johnson,

Kris Joseph Kristopher Carlos Joseph (born December 17, 1988) is a Canadian professional basketball player for Ottawa Blackjacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He played for the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team from 2008 to 2012. He wa ...

Fab Melo Fabricio Paulino de Melo (; June 20, 1990 – February 11, 2017) was a Brazilian professional basketball player. He played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Boston Celtics before returning to his home country and play ...

Arinze Onuaku Arinze Christopher Onuaku (born July 13, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Syracuse University. High school career Onuaku attended DuVal High School in Lanham, Maryland before transferrin ...

, CJ Fair,

Dion Waiters Dion Waiters Jr. (born December 10, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange and was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wa ...

Michael Carter-Williams Michael Carter-Williams (born October 10, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He was drafted in the first round with the 11th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, after playing college basketball for the ...

Rakeem Christmas Rakeem Haleek Christmas (born December 1, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange for four seasons before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 36th overall pick in ...

and

James Southerland James Southerland III (born April 28, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Syracuse. High school caree ...

Eastern Michigan

In his debut season (2011) with Eastern Michigan, Rob Murphy guided the Eagles to a first ever MAC-West championship along with being named 2012 MAC coach of the year. During the 2013–14 season, Murphy guided Eastern to its first 20-win season since 1997–98 (18 years), while also sending the Eagles to their first postseason tournament (the CollegeInsider.com Tournament) since '97–98. Rob Murphy was named a Ben Jobe Award Finalist for the 2013/14 season. Murphy guided his EMU Eagles to a win over Big 10 foe Michigan on December 9, 2014, and holds a victory over Purdue the previous season.

Motor City Cruise

On March 17, 2021, the

announced the hiring of Murphy as president and general manager.

Detroit Pistons

On September 1, 2021, the

announced the promotion of Murphy becoming the Sr Director of Player Personnel for the Detroit Pistons. Murphy's job duties include overseeing all pro, college and high school scouting department while preparing for the NBA Draft, Trades and Free Agency. On June 1st, 2022, the Pistons announced the promotion of Murphy becoming Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Pistons. Murphy's job duties include overseeing all pro, college and high school scouting department while preparing for the NBA Draft, Trades and Free Agency.

Head coaching record

College

References

External links

Eastern Michigan profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Rob 1973 births Living people American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Michigan Basketball players from Detroit Central State Marauders basketball players College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball coaches High school basketball coaches in Michigan Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball coaches Syracuse Orange men's basketball coaches