New Charlotte 49ers coach Ron Sanchez loses a player to transfer

Sophomore guard Ryan Murphy said Tuesday on Twitter that he is leaving the Charlotte 49ers basketball program.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to transfer from UNC Charlotte and reopen my recruitment,” Murphy wrote. “I am thankful for my time at UNCC and appreciate all who have supported me. I want mostly to thank my teammates for the relationships we have built and going to battle with me. This was a tough decision for me but I feel it is time to move on. Thank you.”

Murphy, who is from Calabasas, Calif., averaged 6.7 points in 19 games as a freshman last season. He scored a season-high 27 points on 6-for-6 3-point shooting against Old Dominion, but missed the rest of the season when he broke his foot during a shoot-around two games later.

Murphy is the only player thus far to leave the program under new coach Ron Sanchez, who is installing a different system than former coach Mark Price and interim coach Houston Fancher. Senior guards Jon Davis and Andrien White have entered the NBA draft but have the option to return to school because they haven’t hired agents.

Transfer from Oklahoma

Jordan Shepherd, a point guard who played two seasons as a backup at Oklahoma, announced on Twitter he’s transferring to Charlotte. Shepherd, who is from Asheville and played in high school at Asheville Christian Academy, played behind freshman sensation Trae Young last season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 assists. He will sit out one season and have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 12:05 PM with the headline "New Charlotte 49ers coach Ron Sanchez loses a player to transfer."