Willie Murdaugh

Willie Terell Murdaugh is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the North Greenville Trailblazers and USC Upstate Spartans. Murdaugh played professionally in minor leagues including the International Basketball Association (IBA) and Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He won two championships with the Dakota Wizards in the IBA in 2001 and CBA in 2004. Murdaugh was the IBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 and CBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2002.

Early life Murdaugh was born to Willie and Patricia Rivers and is a native of Wade Hampton, South Carolina. He started playing basketball when he was aged six after he watched his uncle play. In April 1989, he signed a scholarship to play for the USC Upstate Spartans. He led the team to a 29–3 record during the 1989–90 season. He recorded 10 steals in a game against the Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in 1991 which remains a program record.

Professional career Murdaugh was selected by the New Haven Skyhawks of the United States Basketball League (USBL) as the 48th overall pick of the 1991 USBL draft. In February 1992, he was acquired by the Greenville Spinners of the Global Basketball Association (GBA). On October 20, 1992, Murdaugh re-signed with the Spinners.

Murdaugh played for the Cape Breton Breakers of the Canadian National Basketball League (NBL) in 1993. He led the NBL in three-point shooting percentage during the 1993 season. Murdaugh returned to the Breakers for the 1994 season. Murdaugh led the IBA in technical fouls during the 1997 season. He had a stint with a team in Beijing during the 1997 offseason. Murdaugh re-signed with the Wizards in August 1997. On January 20, 1998, Murdaugh received a five-game suspension from the IBA for confronting a referee after he was ejected from a game. In February 1998, Murdaugh signed with the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). Murdaugh did not play during the 1999–2000 season. He was chosen as the IBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 after he averaged a league-high 3.1 steals per game. The Wizards won the 2001 IBA championship.

In January 2002, Murdaugh signed with the Saskatchewan Hawks of the CBA. Murdaugh was chosen as the CBA Defensive Player of the Year after he averaged 2.5 steals per game. Murdaugh was brought out of retirement by the Wizards for a short stint in December 2003 due to a lack of players. He returned to the Wizards for a second stint in February 2004. The Wizards won the 2004 CBA championship.

Murdaugh played for the Calgary Drillers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the 2004–05 season. He led the team to a second place finish at the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour. They have four children. Murdaugh lives in Saskatchewan.