He dribbles the ball across the court, avoiding defenders to close in on the hoop. The sound of teammates and the cheering crowd greet his ears as he takes the shot and watches the ball sink through the net.

Junior Montavious Murphy plays varsity basketball and has received offers from the University of Houston, Texas A&M, Virginia Commonwealth University, Florida Gulf Coast University and University of Tulsa. According to Murphy, it is a great honor to be considered and accepted to these colleges.

“They are full scholarships, and there is more to come,” Murphy said. “I felt grateful. It was an opportunity to play in the next stage.”

Murphy plans to play in the NBA after college, but said getting there is challenging. First, colleges offer scholarships to selected high school students. After playing in the NCAA for a few years, NBA teams can select players in the annual draft. It’s a long and tedious process, but according to his teammate, senior Ryan Harrison, Murphy has the energy to succeed.   

“He does everything,” Harrison said. “He is the ultimate teammate. The team feeds off his energy. He is a very key player.”

Playing basketball professionally, as well as any sport, is a long path, usually starting at an early age. Murphy has been playing basketball since he was seven. According to Murphy, the hardest part is all the rigorous training.

“[It’s hard] training, trying to get in the gym every day and trying to get better,” Murphy said. “I get up at five in the morning [and go to the] weight room from 6:00 a.m  to 8:00 a.m. From 12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m, I just relax.”

Last season, Murphy had approximately 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game, according to his coach, Scott Harmatuk, who also says that Murphy is “valuable.”

“I think it’s [the college offers] wonderful for him and his family, and I am sure more will come in the future,” Harmatuk said. “He would make a valuable addition to any team because of his work ethic and how great of a teammate he is.”

As Murphy continues to play, his coach and teammates will help him become better, according to Harrison.

“I’m very happy for him,” Harrison said. “He’s worked very hard. I’m glad to see it pay off.”