Ronald Murray
A microwave scorer who exploded onto the NBA scene as an undrafted rookie, providing instant offense for a dozen teams in a nomadic career.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American basketball player·Birthday: July 29·Generation X
Biography
Ronald 'Flip' Murray's path to the NBA was anything but conventional. After a standout high school career in Philadelphia, he took the junior college route before landing at Shaw University, a Division II program. Going undrafted in 2002 seemed to close the door, but an invitation to the Seattle SuperSonics' training camp changed everything. When All-Star guard Ray Allen went down with an injury early in the season, Murray was thrust into the starting lineup and promptly set the league on fire, scoring in bunches and earning a reputation as a relentless attacker. This 'Microwave' moment defined him: a potent, sometimes volatile, scoring guard who could single-handedly change a quarter. For the next decade, he carved out a role as a valuable bench spark, playing for 11 different NBA teams—a testament to his enduring ability to put the ball in the basket on demand.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ronald was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ronald Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Ronald's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Averaged 12.2 points per game as an undrafted rookie for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2003-04 season.
- Scored a career-high 31 points in a game for the Seattle SuperSonics against the Phoenix Suns in December 2003.
- Played in 666 regular season NBA games across 12 seasons with 11 different franchises.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Flip' came from childhood friends who thought he resembled comedian Bernie Mac's character 'Flip' from the movie 'Above the Rim'.
He led Shaw University to the NCAA Division II tournament in 2002.
Murray played for both the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks during the 2009-10 season.
“They said I wasn't supposed to be here, so I play with a chip on my shoulder.”
