SEATTLE – If there’s one attribute embedded in the DNA of Seattle University men’s basketball players, it’s attention to detail. Entering the Redhawk basketball offices to sit down with Jojo Murphy — who transferred to Seattle U this offseason after three standout campaigns at Chico State — the senior guard was locked in on film study, breaking down areas to improve in his game with Associate Head Coach Grant Leep.
That same attentiveness allowed Murphy to shine during his time at Chico State. The Oakland, Calif., native led the Wildcats to a 24-7 record and an NCAA Tournament berth last season, averaging a league-best 20.7 points and 4.9 assists per game while shooting just shy of 40 percent from beyond the arc. Murphy closed his career in Northern California with 1,195 points.
Not only will Redhawk fans get to see the meticulous, fine-tuning Murphy commits himself to in the offseason, but also a fiery competitor — someone, as Murphy describes, who will do whatever it takes to win when the final buzzer sounds.
“I’m a competitor. Anything I do, I want to win,” Murphy said.
When it comes to his on-court production, the 6-foot-2 playmaker is looking to bring what made him successful at Chico State to the Redhawk Center and Climate Pledge Arena hardwoods: create open looks for teammates, shoot the lights out and add tallies to the win column.
“I feel like I bring a really good amount of spacing to the game. Getting downhill’s one of my strong suits — shooting the ball off the catch, off the dribble, and creating opportunities for my teammates. This year specifically, I’m taking a lot of pride in my defense and being physical.”
Murphy’s innate scoring ability and physicality will be vital to the success of the Redhawk squad as they embark on their first season in the West Coast Conference. With a mix of size and speed across the league, Murphy is accepting of the task at hand but ready to shine on one of the biggest stages in college basketball.
“I just love to compete at the highest level,” Murphy said. “The WCC is one of the top leagues across all of Division I basketball, and I feel like my skill set fits into that pretty well. I’m definitely excited about that.”
As the 2024-25 season came to an end, Murphy weighed his options on where to take the next step in his basketball evolution. In the era of NIL and geographic mobility, players have an abundance of opportunities to create new paths for themselves in a new uniform. For Murphy, it boiled down not only to how he could refine his play but also how he could grow as a person — something Head Coach Chris Victor and the coaching staff assured him early in the recruitment process, and what helped ink his signature as one of the newest Redhawks.
“The coaching staff showed that not only do they recruit great basketball players, but also great people,” Murphy said. “That’s what I want to be surrounded by every day. People who are going to elevate me to be better, not only on the court, but off the court as a person in the classroom. They outlined what my goals were and how it could play out, so for me, that was super important.”
Murphy also highlighted the staff’s approach to support and accountability.
“At the same time, the relationship is, ‘Hey, we’re going to push you on the court and off the court, but at the same time we’re going to be there for you as well.’ So I think it was really important to have that family aspect.”
Murphy’s upbringing in the Bay Area played a key role in shaping his basketball abilities and personal growth mindset. Modeling his shooting and off-ball movement after Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, as well as Hall of Famer Steve Nash’s mental tenacity, Murphy learned it’s not about how naturally gifted you are, but the mindset you bring when the stands are full — and when the lights and cameras are off.
“If you’re undersized — and if you’re not necessarily the biggest or the most athletic — you have to play with that chip on your shoulder and that’s what those guys do. So I think growing up and watching them was great for me.”
As the conversation continued, it became clear that his scoring talent and fierce, competitive nature aren’t the only qualities the senior guard brings to the red and white. The family culture conveyed by Victor and his staff in the recruitment process, and becoming a well-rounded person, echoed the morals instilled in him at a young age growing up in Oakland.
“My mom always tells me, ‘It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice,’” Murphy said with conviction. “So I’m going to push my teammates every day. We’re going to compete. We’re going to go at it in practice. But when practice is done, and we go back into the locker room, we’re brothers for life. That’s the type of bond that I wanted when I was getting recruited. I wanted to go somewhere that’s going to be a family, where I can be around people that I can be connected with for the rest of my life. I think that translates really well on the court.”
He added: “So to answer your question: I want to be the teammate that pushed you so hard that you hated me, but was with you enough to the point that you loved me — if that makes sense.”
The way the Redhawk staff embraced Murphy resembled the support he received from his family early on. Murphy’s father, who worked for the city of Piedmont — where Murphy attended high school — played with him every day after school on the local blacktop court. Each year the two took a vacation together, where his dad would rebound for hours while Murphy got shots up, something Murphy says he’s eternally grateful for.
Asked about how his family shaped his growth, he attributed everything to them — from his prowess on the court to being a good person off it.
“They were everything. That’s where my passion comes from and who I play for,” Murphy said. “I’m just so grateful to have them always supporting me in my life, and I wouldn’t be in this position without them, because they’ve been with me every step of the way. My dad has always been a big part of that, my sister as well. She’s always at my games and always cheering me on. So having that support in my corner gives me the utmost confidence to do what I do at a high level.”
Describing himself as someone who loves being outdoors and spending time with friends and family, Murphy has done just that in his short time in Seattle — swimming at the Montlake Cut, exploring new restaurants and soaking up the summer sunshine in the Pacific Northwest. Adjusting to a new city away from family can be a challenge, but steady routine and a level head have kept Murphy comfortable in his new environment and focused on daily improvement. Securing peace of mind, Murphy said, is tantamount to his results in the gym and the recovery that comes after.
“I feel like you have to have an outlet to keep a balance. So maintaining that is important throughout the season, and escaping to that outlet is essential for your mental health,” Murphy said. “I think that’s a huge thing that people often overlook, especially as athletes. You spend a lot of time working hard every day, and you need an escape that’s healthy for you — that can help release some of that stress that’s been building up.”
That outlet, the senior explained, comes in more creative approaches. With preseason workouts, steady film sessions and the mounting pressure of the new season building, Murphy lets out his steam through art — writing songs and poetry, singing, playing the guitar and drawing. He added that journaling every night has kept him grounded, humble and has been a catalog of his journey to this point.
“I’m a big journaler,” Murphy said. “Every night before bed I write down what I did that day — whether it was good or bad. I have a couple years’ worth of entries, and I like to go back and look at where I was a few years ago. It gives me that reminder of, ‘Hey, this is what got you here.’”
Murphy is confident that his drive to win and his developing chemistry with new teammates will ultimately result in success and growth for the Redhawks ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. And for the SU faithful in the stands, they can expect to see not only a polished scorer, but someone who has a blast doing it — win or lose.
“I’m looking forward to playing my heart out and competing at a high level. I like to have fun out there — that’s a huge part of my game,” Murphy said. “Basketball is an emotional sport, and you can tell people’s emotions just by watching them. I like to have fun. I like to smile. I bring that energy. So I think that’s something that we can pair up with well, and it can take us a long way.”
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