Calvin Murphy stood 5'9" and was the smallest player in the NBA for much of his career — and one of the toughest, fastest, and most skilled guards the league has ever seen. He spent his entire 13-year career with Houston and remains one of the most beloved Rockets of all time.
Houston Rockets broadcaster and analyst following his playing career
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1
At 5'9", Murphy is one of the shortest players ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — his career stands as one of the great arguments for skill and competitiveness overcoming physical limitations.
2
Murphy competed as a national-level baton twirler throughout his basketball career — a practice that may have contributed to the extraordinary coordination and quick-release mechanics that defined his shooting.
3
His 95.8% free throw percentage in the 1980-81 season was an NBA record that stood for over a decade — and his streak of 78 consecutive made free throws remains one of the most remarkable shooting achievements in league history.
4
Murphy is the Rockets' all-time leader in games played — his 13 seasons in Houston represent a franchise loyalty that is extraordinarily rare in the modern era of player movement.