NBA Draft Profiles: Marcus Morris, Kansas

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Stats: 17.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 34.2% 3PT, 62.0% 2PT

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'9", 230 lb
• Official: 6'7" (no shoes), 6'8.75" (with shoes), 6'10" (wingspan), 8'9.5" (reach), 230 lb

Strengths: Marcus Morris is probably the most versatile and well-rounded forward prospect in this draft not named Derrick Williams. He can really do it all from an offensive standpoint. He's got a nice back-to-the-basket game, capable of going over either shoulder or facing up in the post. He's got a soft touch on his jump shots, jump hooks, and finishes around the rim as well. What truly sets him apart, however, is ability on the perimeter. He's got NBA range on his jumper, he can put the ball on the floor and go by a slower-footed defender, and he's got a pull-up and mid-range game that you don't often see in a front court player. Morris also runs the floor well and can get to the offensive glass.

Weaknesses: The biggest question mark in Marcus' game is what position he is going to play at the next level. He doesn't have the size, the length, or the explosiveness that you typically see in a power forward, but he doesn't appear to be quick enough to defend on the perimeter at the next level. Is he a four or a three? Its pretty clear in the interviews that he has had that he wants to be a three at the next level. There are other question marks, as well. Morris was not a great defensive rebounder at the college level, and there is no guarantee that he is going to be able to be one in the NBA. There are also question marks about his ability to defend at the next level. He has the toughness and the desire to be a capable defender, but he doesn't necessarily have the physical tools. He's not all that long or athletic, he's strong but could be outmuscled by bigger power forwards, and he's quick enough to effectively defend the pick and roll but not necessarily quick enough to defend NBA threes full time.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Boris Diaw. Another multi-skilled forward who can do it all, much like Marcus is capable of on the perimeter and in the post. Maybe hes not quite the passer Diaw is, but sure D’s up, shoots the ball, and rebounds the ball just as well.


• Worst Case Scenario: Shawne Williams meets Damien Wilkins. Williams emerged this past season as a legit 3-point shooter, and Marcus is capable of being just the same once he incorporates that range into his game. You couple that with the perimeter play and D of Wilkins, and you have a decent NBA forward.

Outlook: Morris is, more or less, a finished product. You know what you are going to get from him. He has the all-around offensive arsenal to be a capable scorer at the next level. He'll be a matchup problem whether he is a three or a four, capable of drawing bigger defenders to the perimeter or posting up smaller defenders. He has a fairly high basketball IQ and, at least in college, seemed to understand his limitations and play within himself. That is going to be a key for him at the next level. He is going to have to accept playing a role at the next level, something that he appears capable of doing after spending two seasons playing second fiddle to the likes of Sherron Collins, Xavier Henry, and Cole Aldrich.

Draft Range: Mid to Late Lottery

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Marcus is coming off another terrific season. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 17.2 ppg and had one of the highest efficiency ratings in college basketball. He's one of the most polished offensive big men in college basketball. His offensive versatility, motor and high basketball IQ are all appealing to scouts. But teams worry that he's a bit of a tweener at the next level. He's a likely mid first-round pick."


• Draft Express: "Much of Morris's success will be determined by the role he's asked to play early in his career. He's a fairly finished product at this point, and if he's put in a position where he can utilize all the facets of his game, he's going to do some damage offensively if he can stay as dialed in as he's been this season for Bill Self—something that may have been a cause for concern earlier in his career. Morris's skill level is clearly a cut above that of most players at the college level. If he can convince a team that he can translate his terrific production and skill-set to the NBA, he'll be a very popular name during the pre-draft process."


• Swish Scout: "Multi-skilled forward who loves to play on the perimeter and brings some solid perimeter shooting, strong rebounding, play making and plenty of energy to a squad. Although considered a ‘tweener’ forward and only average athlete, the Big XII Player of the Year is a physical player with an outstanding basketball IQ that will allow him to be an impact player in the NBA for many years to come."

Highlights:



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POSTERIZED: Marcus Morris brings the pain

Marcus Morris, one half of the fightin' Morris brothers (or as Rob calls them "the Morri"), mean-mugged the hell out of some poor bloke from Miami (OH).






Was this better than the previous entries

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The year's first poster: Marcus Morris

Yea, this is pretty vicious.

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No. 1: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

2008-2009 Record: 27-8, 14-2 Big XII (1st)

Key Losses: None

Key Returners: Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5.0 apg), Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg), Tyshawn Taylor 9.7 ppg, 3.0 apg)

Newcomers: Xavier Henry, Jeff Withey, CJ Henry, Thomas Robinson, Elijah Johnson

Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich both may be first team all americans this year.
(photo credit: UMHoops)

Just one year removed from winning a national title and losing his top six players, Bill Self has completely retooled his roster. The Jayhawks are absolutely loaded this season. How loaded? Just take a look at the 12th, 13th, and 14th men on their roster. Travis Releford, a sophomore, was a top 75 recruit out of Kansas, picking the Jayhawks over the likes of Texas, UConn, and North Carolina. Jeff Withey, a redshirt freshman who will be eligible at the end of the 2009 semester after transferring from Arizona, was a top 50 recruit in 2008. CJ Henry was one of the best prospects of the 2005 class before choosing to play baseball in the Yankees organization. Those three guys would start for a number of Big XII schools, and may not even sniff the court for Kansas this year.

The biggest reason for the Jayhawks being the consensus number one team in the country is the inside-outside combination of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. Aldrich may be the most dominating presence in the paint this season. At 6'11" with the wingspan of a pterodactyl, he can control the glass and is one of the nation's best shotblockers. Offensively, he didn't show great back to the basket moves, but his jumper (despite being hideous looking) is soft and he is a good finisher at the rim. If he put in the work during the off-season, expect Aldrich to be improved on the block this year. Everyone should know about Collins. Built like a bowling ball, Collins can shoot it, he can drive to score or to pass, and he is a proven clutch performer that isn't afraid to take (and make) a big shot. Collins is a natural leader, which is perfect for a team that is still relatively young. With the amount of talent on this roster, expect Collins' scoring numbers to dip a bit this year as he spreads the ball around more.

The likely starters on the perimeter will be sophomore Tyshawn Taylor and freshman Xavier Henry. Taylor is an excellent role player to stick in the off-guard spot. He has the talent to be a 15 ppg guy, but he is used to filling a role on a loaded roster (his high school team at St. Patrick's had seven D1 players on it). He has the handle and the play-making ability to play a little bit of point guard this year, but where his biggest contribution will be is on the defensive end. His long arms and quick feet will make him a night mare for opposing two guards. Henry might be the missing piece for Self. With a dynamic point guard, size inside, and role players and shooters on the perimeter last year, the one thing this Jayhawk team was missing was a big time scoring talent on the wing. Henry, a strong, 6'6" two-guard, is exactly that. The only concern that Self will have with Henry is his attitude - will he understand that he is not "the man" on this Jayhawk team and defer to Collins and Aldrich?

The rest of the Kansas back court is talented as well. Tyrell Reed, who was the 2008 Kansas high school player of the year, is a shooter first and foremost. A coaches son, he is a smart kid that understands the game and can play a little point if necessary, but where he will be utilized by Self is as a spot-shooter on the perimeter that will help spread the floor. Mario Little is a JuCo transfer that struggled to get time on the court last season. When he did, he produced, averaging 4.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg in just 12 mpg. He is an athletic slasher that is at his best in the open floor. Brady Morningstar is a former walk-on who earned his starting spot last season. A pesky defender and excellent shooter, Morningstar may have cost himself this season with his DUI back in September. He will not return from suspension until the end of the first semester, and by then Self will likely have his rotation figured out.

Of this group, Elijah Johnson probably has the most upside. Similar to a guy like Collins, Johnson is a solidly built, 6'2" point guard. He's explosive, he can get to the rim, he can shoot it from deep, and he makes the game look effortless. His issue is that he has a rep for being lazy, for coasting during games. If Self, or maybe even Collins, can light a fire in this kid, he should be a more than adequate back-up for Collins and may end up being a first round pick down the road.

The most improved players this season may end up being the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus. Last season, the two showed flashes of potential, but they weren't big or strong enough to handle the rigors of the Big XII. But over the summer, the twins spent quite a bit of time in the weight room, adding strength, mass, and improving their athleticism in the process. Marcus is a bit more developed on the offensive end while Markieff is a better defender at this point in his career. Regardless, expect a big season out of these two as they will provide energy and athleticism for Self, both on the defensive end and on the glass.

The other guy expected to see time in the front court rotation is Thomas Robinson. At 6'9", Robinson is a fantastic athlete that can get out and fill a lane on the break. He isn't the strongest player inside right now, but he can finish above the rim and has shown a decent offensive game around the rim. Similar to Marcus Morris, Robinson can also step out and play the high post. He has a solid 15 foot jumper, and his passing and ball-handling ability will make him a difficult match-up for any opposing post.

Outlook: Kansas had a bit of a tumultuous off-season, as the basketball team's multiple skirmishes with the Jayhawk football team made national headlines. But as much of an issue and as big of an embarrassment as it was for Bill Self, some took it as a good sign. This wasn't one guy on an island fighting 60-some football players. This was the whole team having the back of a couple players with an issue. While there were certainly better ways to solve the issue than to take it to fists, Self has to be happy that he has a team that is close-knit enough that they didn't hesitate to have each other's back. I don't think that it will be much of a distraction at this point. The bigger issue is going to be how Self handles having this much talent on his roster. Will there be enough shots and minutes to go around to keep everyone happy? If he can manage and massage egos, Kansas looks like the clear cut favorite to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
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Kansas's Morris twins are stronger than you

Playing as freshmen in the Big XII really took a toll on the bodies of Marcus and Markieff Morris last season. Coming into school at 6'8", 225lb (Marcus) and 6'9", 230lb (Markieff), the two shed weight during the season, ending the year at 213lb and 210lb, respectively.

Well, the two decided to change that this year. You see, the Big XII is a physical conference, and losing that much weight not only takes a toll on how well you can battle big bodies in the paint, it also dimishes how much of a beating your body can withstand.

Basically, the Morris twins didn't want to get pushed around as much as sophomores.

So they went to Kansas strength coach Andrea Hudy and did something about it.

Mainly, they worked their tails off all summer.

I'm talking six-days-a-week, three or four times a day, doing weight-lifting and conditioning workouts.

And it has paid off. Marcus is up 23 lbs to 236, and Markieff has packed on 34 lbs of muscle, now tipping the scales at 244. Its good weight too. Markieff is parallel squatting 415, benching 275, and can hang clean 245. Marcus squats 405, benches 285, and hang cleans 245. Their verticals have also improved, going to 31" and 30" respectively. Those are impressive numbers for basketball players that admittedly hated working out before this summer.

So not only are the twins bigger and stronger, they are more athletic and explosive than a year ago. As you might imagine, this improvement in their bodies has also given them a confidence boost.

Here's a Sherron Collins quote from the LJWorld article:

I'd say they are 75 percent better than last year — how they look, attitude, everything. I'm very impressed (with) their body definition, the way they work on the court, especially pick-up (games). Last year, as coach Self said, they weren't rebounding above the rim. Now they are dunking and trying to finish everything above the rim. It's a big improvement.

With the Morris twins providing athleticism and energy on the glass and the defensive end alongside Collins and Cole Aldrich, the Jayhawks could be scary good next season.

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