Canes Basketball: Who’s Gone From Last Year?

Many experts have high hopes for the Miami Men’s basketball team this year. Ja’Quan Newton and Bruce Brown are back and the ‘Canes return six of their top eight scorers from last year. On top of that Coach L has brought in a top-10 recruiting class headlined by Lonnie Walker, the highest-rated commit in the history of the program.

The hype...

Is real.

But in order to look forward we must look back and talk about what the ‘Canes will be missing from last year.

The main story here is no more Davon Reed.

Reed could hit the big three-pointer, drive and get a clutch bucket, sky for a key rebound or lock down and smother his man on defense.

...or do this:

Reed had the 5th best 3-point percentage in Miami history (39.5%), he had the 5th longest streak of games making a 3-pointer (27), he had the 7th most 3’s made (202) and finished 16th on the all-time scoring list for Miami (1,343 points).

But what will be missed most will be his experience and reliability on the court.

The 6’6” guard from New Jersey finished his career with the 4th most games played in ‘Canes history (131) and the 4th longest streak of consecutive games started (84).

Any given week, any given day, any given opponent you knew Reed would be out there giving it his all. When certain guys would go down injured, get suspended or get benched, Reed was always there and ready to go.

This year when games come down to the wire the ‘Canes should look to lean on Bruce Brown. So ‘Canes fans are in good hands, but no doubt Reed will be missed.

So a tip of the proverbial cap to Davon Reed, a man who could get as hot as anyone from beyond-the-arc, and when it was needed get to the hoop with the best of ‘em.

The other senior that graduated is Kamari Murphy.

Murphy transferred to Miami from Oklahoma State, and once getting to Coral Gables had to sit out a year before playing his final two collegiate seasons in green and orange.

Standing at 6’8” Murphy was a bigger body who could crash the glass and come up with big rebounds. When you watched him working the interior, either on offense or defense it always seemed like he played bigger than his height lead on.

Murphy wasn’t a guy who was going to come in and light it up from the field and put up 20 points; he wasn’t a guy who filled up the boxscore.

He will be missed most on the defensive side of the ball, where he thrived as a versatile defender who had the length and size to go up against a center, but also the quick feet to guard a small forward.

All that said...

He was still a guy who could go up and get it...

Where are they now?

Davon Reed was drafted by the Phoenix Suns as the 32nd overall pick in the draft. He had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in late August and is expected to miss 4-6 months.

Kamari Murphy was picked up by the Nets last week and waived, which means he should be heading to their G-League affiliate the Long Island Nets.