Purdue forward on transfer, expectations in final NCAA season: ‘Pressure makes diamonds’

With only one season of NCAA eligibility remaining, finding the right fit was crucial for senior transfer Liam Murphy. 

The forward spent two seasons at Columbia and one at North Florida before committing to play for top-ranked Big Ten coach Matt Painter at Purdue this season.

“That was super important to me to be at a spot where I felt like I can contribute to something special,” Murphy said Friday in a video posted to Twitter by Purdue men’s basketball. “The values of hard work and family and togetherness were present here, and are kind of present with me and my family as well.”

Murphy had surgery in the spring to repair a partial labrum tear and was limited when summer workouts started. He’s practiced with the Boilermakers but won’t return to full strength for a few more weeks. 

“It’s a little different out here [in Indiana]. It seems like everybody has a hoop throughout the generations,” Murphy said. “A lot of us [on the team] are like minded and realizing the talent and skill that we have around here, and the opportunity that we have to come together and sacrifice together for a special year. So just embrace the expectations, because, you know, pressure makes diamonds.”  

The Staten Island native is most looking forward to playing in a packed Mackey Arena. During his years in New York and Florida, Murphy never traveled to face the Boilermakers in West Lafayette.  

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“I’m super excited to walk out of the tunnel and see it fully packed with all the fans,” Murphy said. “I would say it’s going to be the most fun environment I’ve ever played in. So I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be a blast.”

ESPN ranked Painter’s Boilermakers at No. 1 last month on the outlet’s too-early top 25 list and Purdue is on a quest for its third Big Ten Conference title in four years this season.