Prospect Spotlight: Malachi Murrell (2022)
Class of 2022 wing forward Malachi Murrell Malachi Murrell 6'2" | SF Shadow Hills | 2022 CA-S is on a mission to make sure he’s on the radar of college basketball coaching staffs, and even though the pandemic has limited…
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Continue ReadingClass of 2022 wing forward Malachi Murrell Malachi Murrell 6'2" | SF Shadow Hills | 2022 CA-S is on a mission to make sure he’s on the radar of college basketball coaching staffs, and even though the pandemic has limited his exposure to college coaches, his mindset and approach to is development haven’t changed.
“In the spring since the pandemic, I have been working in my backyard just trying to stay ready,” Murrell told Prep Hoops SoCal. “I’ve also been working with a trainer for basketball and a weight room trainer. I have gained over 15 pounds of muscle. I think that would be to my advantage cause I play bigger than I am.”
When watching Murrell on film with Gamepoint Inland Empire, what stands out most is his versatility. The 6-foot-2 junior has an intriguing frame, fluid athleticism and impressive length all of which combined allow him to guard multiple positions on the defensive end. Offensively, Murrell is a slasher and finisher who can absorb and finish through contact or finish with power above the rim.
This spring and summer, Murrell has been discovering some more layers to his game due to a couple of factors: 1. travel and club ball allows for a little bit more freedom and creativity on the court and 2. He has been putting tons of hours of work into his game.
“If I have a big guarding my I can go by them, and if I have a guard guarding me I can post them up,” Murrell said. “I’ve been working on my all around game cause I was played at the five in high school, and I know at the height I am right now, I wouldn’t be playing the five, so my goal is to continue working and perfect my craft.”
Last season, Murrell, who helped Shadow Hills of Indio win the CIF Southern Section Division 3A title last season, will transfer to La Quinta high school for his junior season, but says he will never forget how his time at Shadow Hills helped shape his game.
“It was an amazing experience,” he said. “My freshman year we didn’t go deep into the playoffs, we were a young team, so this year we wanted to go further so we put in the work everyday and we formed a brotherhood on and off the court. We had each other’s backs no matter what”
Basketball isn’t the only sport Murrell plays at the high school level as he’s a standout wide receiver and defensive back who said he has early interest from a couple of Pac-12 programs. Ideally, Murrell would love to play both sports at the next level, but knows that might not be possible.
“In a perfect world, I would love to play both,” he said. “Right now I am keeping both options open. I would prefer to play basketball in college, if I had to choose, but not opposed to playing football. Either is a win-win.”