At the top of the Duke Blue Devils wish list sits Alex Murphy, a smooth and heady 6-8 rising junior who possesses a great skill set on the hardwood.  Duke has had success with prospects and players who have NBA lineage with their most recent commitment coming from Austin Rivers, son of the Boston Celtics coach and former Atlanta Hawk  Glenn "Doc" Rivers.  Murphy fits that mold as well in that  his Dad, Jay who played for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Washington Bullets.  BDN goes in depth with Murphy discussing his timeline, Duke and UNC recruiting him, the possibility of playing with his brother, his relationship with teammate Kaleb Tarczewski and Shabazz Muhammad as well.  No stone is left unturned in our latest premium offering so join BDN Premium and discuss the latest on Alex Murphy with fellow members on our private  message board.

The basics on Alex - He plays AAU ball for the New England players and is a rising junior at St. Mark's High School.  His eldest brother Erik, plays at Florida.  Murphy stands between 6-7 and 6-8 and weighs in at around 210 pounds.  Major players in his recruitment are Duke, Florida, Kansas and  North Carolina.

BDN's interview with Alex Murphy -

Alex, let me catch up with you a bit.  What have you been doing since I last saw you on the AAU circuit?

I think I had a real good summer finishing off strong.  In August I went to Adidas Nations in Chicago and that was pretty cool and finished up with the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game in L.A.  So that was a great way to end the summer with the success that I had.  As soon as I came home from L.A. [Los Angeles] I had two weeks before I had to head back up to school in Massachusetts and took a little time off to just relax.  I sort of  just gave my body a rest because I haven't stopped playing basketball since about a year before school, so I thought a bit of rest was the best thing to do.  Now, I am back in school and right back at it in the gym and pretty much ever since I've been back.  We start practice soon for the high school season.  It's my junior year and we've got a big season ahead and a lot of big time games and a lot of stuff to look forward to.

Has Coach Lubick discussed how he'd use you this season and will it differ from the past?

We haven't talked specifically about it but I'm sure our style of play as a team will change a little from what it's been in the past.  We've had a lot of good bigs recently,  his son Nate Lubick and my brother who is down in Florida.  We  still have some good bigs.  I consider myself a big guy, I'm about 6-7, 6-8 and we have another kid in my class Kaleb Tarczewski who is [private] a seven footer.  We'll be a little more perimeter oriented this year.  We have a lot of guards who can shoot the ball and a couple who really know how to play.  Me and another kid from Canada Nick Sc, are about 6-6 to 6-8 and we can both play a point forward if need be, so like I said we'll be more perimeter oriented this year and I think I'm going to play a lot of positions on the floor.  I want to do whatever Coach makes me do whether that's rebound as a forward or handle the point, whatever he wants me to do, I am there,

Your brother Erik Murphy is currently playing at Florida.  Would it be tough for you to elect not to play alongside him?

[Pauses] I think it would seem a little weird but ultimately I can't base my decision on a school whether my brother or a family member is there.  Actually, it's pretty cool watching him play down there and to play with him would be cool but at the end of the day I don't think I'd go to Florida because my brother is there.  That would not be the right reason to go there and Florida is obviously recruiting me very hard but I will pick my own school, one that's best for me.

Watching you over the summer on the AAU circuit, I noticed that you were often hanging out with teammate Kaleb Tarczewski.  You guys seem to be really close.  Is that true?

I have know Kaleb for a while now, for a few years and we really became close this summer, obviously we we were close last high school season and he had a good year but struggled at times.  A lot of people over the spring and summer saw him take his game to a whole new level and he's dramatically improved.  We definitely have some chemistry playing together.  I haven;t had time to play with him a of of late but I am anxious to play with him in the season coming up getting him on my side again.  But the possibility of us playing together at a school?  We've joked about it, talked about it saying are you going here or come here with me.  So we could end up at the same place but as I have said ultimately at the end of the day you have to pick a place that's right for you and it has to be a situation that you and your family feels comfortable with.  It could end up being the same school for us but also it may not be.

Alex, can you tell me which schools have been the most aggressive of late with concerns to the recruiting process?

As of late I'd have to say um, Duke, Florida ... those two have been on me consistently and been on me from day one which is something I really respect.  North Carolina recently offered me a scholarship and they've really come hard.  That put a new perspective on things.  That was really an honor and really cool, so they've been recruiting me hard lately as well as other schools. Arizona and Kansas are right there too.  A lot of people feel the top choice for Kaleb right now is Kansas and they've done a good job with me too.  So really all the schools recruiting me have been consistent.  It's a good thing and it's also a bad thing because at the end of the day you can only pick one school and you have to turn down some really good coaches.

I cover the ACC beat during the season and with that said, can you tell me the lead assistants recruiting you from the rival schools?

Well I talk to Coach K and Roy a lot but the lead assistant for Duke has been Chris Collins and the assistant who came to a lot of my games from Carolina multiple time is Coach McGraff.

Can you give me your impressions of Coach K and Roy Williams?

Coach K takes a little bit of a different style to recruiting.  Most of the times when we've talked its after he's actually seen me play like one time recently.  He'll tell me things I need to work on or what will make me a better player at the next level of play and it helps, especially when you do this stuff and the guy obviously knows what he's talking about.  And Coach Williams and I have talked a few times recently and he just talks about how much I've improved.  They're both really excited and both wanting to get me down on campus for visits really soon, hopefully a game and that's one thing I hope to do in the near future.

Have you set any visits up in the Triangle where you will visit Duke or UNC?

Nothing has been set up yet but hopefully in the near future I can make it down to a game at both places.  Obviously with my season we're busy so it's difficult to find the time to get down there.

Does it feel strange to have rivals Duke and UNC recruiting you?

Just a little bit.  Both have been recruiting me for a while now, but Duke probably a little longer.  I think it's an honor when both those schools recruiting me for they are two of the most storied programs in history not only on the past but in the present. 

Do you have a timeline for making a decision on where you'll play your collegiate basketball?

Ah, not really.  I don't really know actually, it could happen soon or it might not happen until next year I'm not really sure.  It's just whenever I feel it's right.  It probably won;t happen soon because I want get down to these schools and see some games.  Hopefully I will be able to feel which school is right for me, but it could happen later rather than sooner, I just don't know for sure.

You are supposedly close with Shabazz Muhammad.  Is that true and can you elaborate a bit on the relationship if so?

We actually talk all the time.  In fact, I talked to him just the other day via text.  We developed a relationship through the Adidas Nations program.   So we played together a lot in Chicago and he was one of the underclassmen along with DeJuan Coleman in the Boost game this summer and I do have a relationship with him and we talk regularly not only about basketball but school.

Many have said that the two of you might like to play together in college.  Is there any truth to that?

Absolutely.  He's probably the one guy I've talked to mostly about that.  But if he goes somewhere I ca';t say I will follow because ultimately it has to be the right thing for you.  It's definitely a possibility.

And then there is the possibility of you to guys going head to head as well, right?

[laughs] Yeah, I know that's the thing.  Who knows if we'll play together or one of us go to Duke and one to Carolina, so who knows.  It wouldn't effect the friendship at all though.

And what do you think about Kansas?

They watched me and offered a scholarship as soon as they saw me last summer and I have developed a good relationship with Coach Dooley and Coach Self.  They are really recruiting Kaleb really hard and another one of the most storied programs in basketball.

Is there a leader or a certain team or teams which stand out right now?

From what I hear and see people seem to think Florida and or Duke lead but honestly there are no leaders but sometime in the near future I will sit down with my family and narrow my list down.  So, there are no real favorites right now.  I mean I don't want to not think about it right now, but my high school season is important. [/private]