by Trevor Freeman
“I can’t even explain him. He’s scary.”
-Armando Surratt, point guard, University of San Francisco
I remember the first time I heard his name. Dick Vitale was hyping him up to be the next Larry Bird. This was before he was about to take the court at Madison Square Garden for the first game of his collegiate career. Imagine the pressure he must have felt. Imagine knowing that from now on, the only person you would ever be compared with is “The Hick from French Lick.” The fact that this eighteen-year-old kid didn’t seem fazed by it was the first sign of his future greatness.
Maybe we should have known Adam Morrison would be special before he ever set foot on that court against a St. Joseph’s team led by Jameer Nelson and Delonte West. After all, Morrison did graduate from Mead High School with 1,904 points, which made him the Greater Spokane League career scoring leader.
“He’s the best offensive basketball player since Carmelo Anthony. Not only that, Adam Morrison is a winner. He’s relentless out there on the court.”
-Lorenzo Romar, Head Coach, University of Washington
A lot of guys would have wilted under the microscope, which is big-time college basketball. Adam Morrison hasn’t and he is in the midst of one of the finest years put up by a college hoops player in recent memory. Three times over 40 points. However, it wasn’t just the fact that Morrison put 40 points on the board in these games. It was the caliber of opposition and the way he did it. Shannon Brown, Maurice Ager, and Brandon Roy all got their turns……and all of them were left in his wake. Eight times over 30 points. An average of 28.3 per night…………why that’s only 0.3 per night less than Larry Joe…..in 1979
It’s not just the points though. It is the way this Gonzaga team rallies around him and the confidence they bring to the court because he’s on it. When Gonzaga took the floor against UConn and Michigan State in Maui, they looked like they belong because they thought they belonged. It’s because of Adam Morrison. The players, students, coaches, and fans of Gonzaga all bring a certain confidence to the table because they know they have the best player on the court in any gym they show up at.
“Every time he shot it, it seemed like it went in. You can’t do anything about it.”
-Ryan Sommer, guard, Portland State
Adam Morrison has a complete game. He has range on his jump shot that extends well past the NBA stripe. When Morrison puts the ball on the floor, he is deceptively quick and seems to always be able to get to whatever spot he wants. The way he shoots the ball is so effortless and pure, which is why he seems to score at ease even with a hand in face. Plus, Morrison moves without the ball in such an intelligent fashion that he constantly seems to free himself even when you know he is the focal point of the other team’s defensive game plans.
Morrison also seems to want to take big shots. There’s something to be said for a player who wants to be the Man.
1. Adam Morrison 6-8 220 SF Gonzaga Jr.
http://www.nbadraft.net/
There it is. On the preeminent mock draft site on the Internet, Adam Morrison sits alone as the first pick in the draft. If Adam Morrison chooses to leave Gonzaga this year and enter the NBA Draft, he immediately becomes the most important player to enter the NBA in recent history.
What is my basis for that last statement?
Adam Morrison is an American born, household name with the college basketball fans of America. Before early entries…….before Magic, Larry, and Michael decided to hang it up….the fans of the game of basketball use to watch the game at all levels. Over time though a chasm was formed amongst basketball fans. Now the game of basketball has three groups of followers. They are as follows:
1. College fans that have utter disdain for the NBA.
2. Pro fans who couldn’t give two craps about college hoops until March rolls around.
3. A shrinking group of people like me who religiously watch both college hoops and the NBA.
In no other sport is there a split like this. Outside of Bill Simmons, most pro football fans also watch college football. And vice versa. While they may prefer one style to the other, there are no snide comments about how the other game is played. In baseball, the college game never got enough traction to warrant people paying attention. Perhaps, it’s the aluminum bats…..I don’t know, but it never took hold.
Basketball is the only sport where you have this divide. The last time it was really bridged was when Magic and Larry duked it out. There are a lot of people who attribute this split to the way the NBA Draft has played out over the years. When you had guys named Darko and Nikoloz getting drafted ahead of established college stars like Dwyane Wade and Tayshaun Prince it upset the average college hoops fan. However, the drafting of high schoolers named Ndudi and DeSagana over Josh Howard and Richard Jefferson sealed the deal. You can only give the fans of a game the middle finger for so long before they revolt.
“Any discussion of player of the year, should begin and end with Adam Morrison.”
-Phil Martelli, Head Coach, St. Joseph’s
The NBA has slipped. When Michael Jordan left the game the first time, it was still arguably the most followed professional sports league in America. Now it is in a dogfight with MLB for second place behind the NFL. It is because fans of the game of basketball became entrenched in the separate camps above.
To get these fans back, the NBA needs a new charismatic star to emerge from the collegiate level. While Dwyane Wade is nasty, his personality is too subdued to be this guy. Carmelo Anthony has scuffled too much since he entered the league. Emeka Okafor doesn’t have the game that makes the jaws drop. That’s why Adam Morrison’s success is important.
Before Adam Morrison hits the NBA, he has a couple more stops. The WCC Championship and then the NCAA Tournament. If you like the game of basketball, but really only care about the NBA, I have but one request. On February 7th, flip on ESPN2 and watch when St. Mary’s travels to the “New Kennel” to face Morrison and the Zags. Take a look at the best player college basketball has offered in years.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
11 replies on “The Most Important Player In Basketball”
Adam Morrison “The Young Man from Spokane”
Also, I am in group 1. If you want to see real basketball, watch college hoops.
Morrison You know………..that line, “The Young Man From Spokane” is something I’d think about trademarking because I could definitely see that as being a nickname for Morrison.
I watch both college and the pros, but I definitely prefer the college game. It’s more a basketball lovers game. Much more tactical.
Morrison story in Sports Pickle http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume5/2006-0125-morrison.html
Pickle Article That is absolutely hysterical!
Morrison is incredible I went to the USF-Gonzaga game last week. All I have to say is…… wow! He effortlessly put up 41 on San Francisco, despite drawing double-teams almost every time he got the ball. He has such a beautiful shot, and if given the slightest room, he makes the defense look ridiculous.
Larry Bird, look out.
really? Most important?! Why? Morrison fills it up nice at the college level but no way will he have that kind of impact at the next level. People said the same thing about Szczerbiak.
Morrison Sczerbiak was a very good player at Miami (Ohio) but he was nowhere near the player Adam Morrison has been this year for Gonzaga. Nobody ever talked about Wally being the first overall pick in the draft. Morrison is currently the first overall pick on http://www.nbadraft.net and has been for awhile. Plus, Morrison is a better all-around player now than Sczerbiak will ever be. Morrison has the same amount of range on his jumper except he also possesses the size, athleticism, and creativity to score in a variety of other ways.
A good comparison to Wally does reside in this class though. I can definitely see JJ Redick becoming another Wally Sczerbiak when hits the pro level. They are going to be drafted at around the same spot as Redick is currently rated #7 on http://www.nbadraft.net.
Re: I agree that, unlike Morrision, Wally wasn’t talked about as much before the season as he was at tourney time, nevertheless, I still think Morrision is getting the same hype. What I’d like to know is what makes him so important? He is an excellent prospect, yes, but the days of players coming to the rescue of the NCAA/NBA, ala Bird, are over. There nothing Morrision does that isn’t already being done. And please, don’t mention intangibles like intelligence on the court anymore. Theres no legitimate, or fair, way to measure sports intelligence. It ends up being subjective at best. And though his 40 point games, and all around skill set is impressive, theres no way he’s going to have that kind of success at the next level. Trust me, he will get D’ed up in the pros.
That said, I actually think that Mcmichael (think thats his name) kid from Duke might be someone to watch. His game has a little flavor to it also.
Good Debate
Morrison The thing that makes Morrison tough to defense now and will continue at the next level is the fact he is so good at shooting with a hand in his face. I attribute this to the fact that he shoots his jump shot with an over the top release like Larry Bird use to.
That being said, I’m not sure he is a carbon copy of Larry Bird as much as I think he might be a cross between Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, and Carmelo Anthony. If Morrison isn’t a 23-24 point per game scorer with about 6-7 rebounds tossed in on the next level, I will be surprised.
McRoberts is the guy from Duke McRoberts is a nice player, but so far hasn’t demonstrated the ability to hit a 15 footer, any great post moves, or the ability to hit a foul shot. Thats a problem for any big man who is looking to be more than an afterthought.
Also, I agree with the wally comparison, lets slow down on the legendary adam morrison talk. One of your points was the three 40 point games- I know Redick has at least two, against tougher competition. Redick is always doubleteamed, and probably takes less shots than Morrison. Also, at least one of Morrison’s 40 point games was in overtime.
I agree with the comparisons of Morrison and Redick in their draft order- i think they will be similary successfull. Solid, NBA careers- probably not legendary. Good article, though.
Morrison He’s actually up to four 40 point games now. I’d point out that two of them came against Washington and Michigan State. Both of those teams are ranked in the top 15. Brandon Roy is also considered one of the best defenders in the country and he got ate up by Morrison in that game.
Morrison and Redick are different players. Redick is an incredible shooter. Because he’s such a good shooter, players have to check him close. Where his growth as a player has come is that he can now take these guys who are checking him close off the dribble. Morrison is a much more skilled all-around player than Redick. Morrison has the ability to score more ways than Redick. Plus he is a matchup headache because he’s 6’8″.
If Morrison only has a solid NBA career, I’ll be shocked. There’s a reason why he is rated as the best overall player in this draft class.