Harper Hempel is an American photographer, social media consultant, and former college volleyball player best known for her long-term relationship with NBA star Jamal Murray.
Away from the attention that comes with dating one of basketball’s biggest names, Hempel has built a career of her own in digital marketing and photography.
Since graduating from the University of Kentucky, she has largely stayed out of the spotlight, choosing to focus on her business rather than celebrity status.
Her relationship with Murray has attracted public interest for years, but the couple has consistently kept their private life away from social media following the widely publicized privacy breach in 2020.
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Harper Hempel Biography
She was born on August 31, 1997, in Union, Kentucky, United States. She is 28 years old.
Harper Hempel is the daughter of Richard Hempel and Colleen Hempel. Her father is an entrepreneur and co founder of eCoachSports, a digital coaching platform that works with athletes and coaches across several professional sports. Her mother has largely remained out of public life.
Harper also has a younger brother, Connor Hempel, a former Harvard quarterback. Sport was a central part of her upbringing. She developed a passion for volleyball at an early age and quickly became one of Kentucky’s most accomplished high school players.
She attended Ryle High School, where she captained the volleyball team and earned Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association All State honours on three occasions.
Harper was also named District Most Valuable Player and received multiple leadership awards during her high school career.
She continued her education at the University of Kentucky, balancing college athletics with academics before graduating with a degree in Marketing and Digital Media from the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
Volleyball Career
Harper Hempel enjoyed a successful volleyball career before moving into business and photography. She represented the Kentucky Wildcats women’s volleyball team, appearing in several matches during her collegiate career.
Her versatility as a defensive specialist helped the Wildcats during multiple seasons, with notable performances against Illinois and Wichita State among her career highlights. After graduating, Hempel chose not to pursue professional volleyball.
Instead, she turned her attention to creative and digital industries where she had developed an interest during college.
She launched Harper Hempel Photography, a business specialising in portraits, fashion photography, family sessions and commercial content.
Her work has attracted clients across Kentucky and neighbouring states. Alongside photography, she has established herself as a social media consultant, helping brands manage online campaigns, create digital strategies and produce visual content.
Her professional experience has included marketing roles with lifestyle and consumer brands, allowing her to build a reputation independent of her relationship with Murray.
Travel and photography remain two of her biggest passions, both of which regularly feature across her professional portfolio.
Jamal Murray Girlfriend
Harper and Jamal Murray met at the University of Kentucky during the 2015 and 2016 academic year, when she played volleyball and Murray starred for the Wildcats men’s basketball team.
Their relationship began during college and has continued throughout Murray’s NBA career with the Denver Nuggets.
After he entered the league in 2016, the couple managed a long distance relationship as Hempel completed her studies in Kentucky before focusing on her own career.
The couple briefly found themselves at the centre of unwanted public attention in March 2020 after an intimate video was accidentally shared from Murray’s Instagram account.
Murray apologised publicly, describing the incident as a serious invasion of privacy, and both chose to become far more private afterward.
Since then, Hempel has limited what she shares online and rarely discusses her relationship publicly. Despite regular speculation from fans, there has been no confirmed breakup.
The pair have continued to keep their personal lives away from public scrutiny, preferring privacy over constant media attention.
Harper Hempel’s Net Worth
Her net worth has never been publicly disclosed. Harper Hempel’s income comes primarily from her photography business, digital marketing work and social media consulting rather than professional sports.
Her career has steadily expanded since graduating from college, allowing her to establish herself as an entrepreneur in her own right.
Jamal Murray, meanwhile, has earned substantial wealth through his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets, endorsement agreements and long term contracts.
The couple have largely kept their financial affairs private and have never publicly discussed their shared finances.