Morris twins settling in at KU home
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Marcus Morris realizes he and his brother, Markieff, are not the first Kansas University basketball players to be born and raised in far-away Philadelphia.
In fact, there’s ...
“Wilt the Stilt,” Marcus, a 6-foot-81⁄2, 220-pound KU freshman from Prep Charter High, said Monday, acknowledging Hall of Famer and fellow City of Brotherly Love native Wilt Chamberlain.
“He’s very big in Philly. He’s still known as the best high school player to ever play the game. He’s a legend, and he’ll always be a legend.”
The Morris twins arrived in Lawrence on Thursday — and started summer school bright and early Monday.
At Prep Charter, they never faced Chamberlain’s Overbrook High. Like Wilt, they distinguished themselves as preps.
Marcus averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds his senior year, while the 6-10, 230-pound Markieff chipped in 23 points and 15 boards.
The duo moved on to APEX Academies, a prep school in Pennsauken, N.J., where Markieff averaged 27.2 points and 12 boards and Marcus 24 points and eight rebounds.
Now, they are at KU after never considering going separate ways.
“Once we first started playing basketball, we knew even if we played the same position we were going to go to the same place regardless,” said Marcus Morris, ticketed to play small forward at KU, with Markieff to play power forward, maybe even center.
“I always know where he’s at on the court, and he always knows where I am. Sometimes I won’t even be looking at him, and I know he’s going up for the oop, and I just throw it up there, and he’ll go get it.”
It’s called twin-sense.
“I always know sometimes when he’s hurt, I know he’s hurt, and I know it’s very painful. Sometimes I know when it really hurts and when he’s OK and it’ll be fine,” Marcus said.
The two, who are now rooming at Jayhawker Towers, are naturally close.
“He is my best friend,” Markieff said.
Despite not yet qualifying academically — “We’ll be OK,” Markieff said — they agreed with coach Bill Self it was important to attend the second session of summer school to get used to college and their new teammates.
“I just want to get bigger and prepare myself for the beginning of the season, do well in summer school, be with the guys,” said Markieff, who is known as a strong rebounder and shot blocker, as well as a good shooter with range.
“I can shoot from three. I hit it a lot last year. That’s about all the outside I can do.”
Marcus might be even more versatile.
“I think I can guard every position on the court. I just think I need to get a little bit stronger and a little quicker, make sure I’m more polished at guarding the 1’s and the 5’s,” said Marcus, who is known for both his shooting touch and ability to attack the basket.
“I think I have a lot to learn about being an on the ball defender and a help defender, just a lot about the game, period. That’s what I have good coaches for.”
The two like what they’ve seen of Lawrence thus far.
“It’s a nice town, nice people,” Markieff said. “It’s very different from Philly. Everybody gets along around here. I’m just grateful to finally be on campus.”
“I just get along with the players, and I love the coaches and like Lawrence. I just think it was a perfect fit,” Marcus added.
The two originally committed to the University of Memphis out of high school. Their decommitment paved the way for KU to get involved.
“I just didn’t have a true connection. You need to have a true connection with the coaches and the players before you make a decision about your future,” Marcus said of Memphis.
Markieff added: “They have great coaches and players, but we didn’t feel comfortable.”
Amazingly, KU and Memphis met in the 2008 national title game; the Jayhawks won in overtime.
“I was watching it at home with my family. It was very weird,” Markieff said.
Marcus, in fact, can recall most of the final seconds of that thriller.
“Once he missed that free throw, I knew Mario was going to make that shot,” Marcus Morris said of Derrick Rose missing one of two free throws with 10 seconds left, setting the stage for Mario Chalmers’ game-tying three. “Once they missed that free throw, it was just like fate. They were missing every free throw, and they were just giving us chances to come back, and then it happened.”
Now the two are at KU hoping to help the Jayhawks reload more than rebuild. It’s possible with KU losing all five starters the duo could start for the defending national champs.
“Yes, because we play two different positions. I play power forward. He plays small forward,” Markieff said. “We could play at the same time all the time, whatever the coach needs. I bring whatever the coach needs me to bring, play hard. I feel just lucky to be on the floor.”
Marcus enters KU as Rivals.com’s No. 29-rated player nationally; Markieff is No. 50.
“We feel Marcus and Markieff are two of the most underrated players in the country,” Self said, adding, “Marcus is a do-everything guy. He can post. He can play point. He’s one of the most versatile guys we’ve recruited since we’ve been here. He’s kind of like Julian (Wright) in some ways.
“Markieff is a prototypical 6-10 power forward who can also play the pivot. He’s a good shooter and passer. He can play with a small guy next to him or bigger guy next to him, which makes him unique,” added Self, stressing he’s happy both are on board.
“They needed to get here, find out what it’s all about,” Self said.