Florida forward Erik Murphy was selected 49th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Murphy will join another former Gator, Joakim Noah, on a team that reached the second round of the NBA playoffs last season.
Murphy is the 35th overall player drafted in Florida history and the 17th player drafted under current coach Billy Donovan. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 12.2 points per game as a senior and shot a Southeastern-Conference best 45.3 percent (72-159) from 3-point range. He scored 1,052 points in his UF career.
"I'm really proud of Erik,” Donovan said. “He has worked hard to reach this point and has a great opportunity in front of him.”
Murphy projects as a stretch power-forward in the NBA and should help open up the floor for Chicago post players Noah and Carlos Boozer. He'll also help open up lanes to the basket for Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who was sidelined the entire 2012-13 season while recovering from a torn ACL.
Murphy is the 35th overall player drafted in Florida history and the 17th player drafted under current coach Billy Donovan. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 12.2 points per game as a senior and shot a Southeastern-Conference best 45.3 percent (72-159) from 3-point range. He scored 1,052 points in his UF career.
"I'm really proud of Erik,” Donovan said. “He has worked hard to reach this point and has a great opportunity in front of him.”
Murphy projects as a stretch power-forward in the NBA and should help open up the floor for Chicago post players Noah and Carlos Boozer. He'll also help open up lanes to the basket for Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who was sidelined the entire 2012-13 season while recovering from a torn ACL.
