Adam Morrison: Boom or Bust?
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by user NBA Draft Blog
ADAM MORRISON: Boom or Bust?
Some players are difficult to scout as NBA prospects. The questions are always the same about these players. Is he right size for his future position? Can he play defense against professional talent? Is there room for improvement, or has he already peaked? All of these questions and more are being asked as we try to prognosticate the future of Gonzaga forward ADAM MORRISON. He was the NCAA Player-of-the-Year and the nation’s leading scorer (28.1 PPG) last season, but there are doubts about his ability to prosper at the highest level. Lets look at his strengths and the concerns that follow him.
STRENGTHS: The LARRY BIRD comparisons are ridiculous. Morrison is no Larry Bird. He is, however, the most talented scorer to enter the NBA draft since Glenn Robinson in 1994. He can hurt you from 3-point range or use his highly evolved mid-range game to light up the scoreboard. Morrison has a deceptively quick first step and finds ways to get his shot off against even the best defenders. He moves well with or without the ball and he usually makes sound decisions. At 6’8 he has acceptable height and he is much stronger than his wiry (205 LB.) frame suggests. Perhaps the greatest strength of Morrison is his competitiveness. He hates to lose and often wills his team to victory. Some of his best games in college came against the best opposition. He scored 43 against Michigan St., 43 against Washington, and 34 against Memphis. His 28.1 PPG scoring average is especially impressive when you consider how often Morrison was saw opponents focus their defense on stopping him. He is crafty, savvy, and intense.
CONCERNS: Morrison is diabetic and although the condition has not hampered his career thus far, it must be considered. NBA teams will scrutinize his health closer than a player with past injuries. All players face harsh appraisal before a draft, but players with health issues face the toughest judgment. Defense is another huge problem for Morrison. He will often be required to defend bigger and faster players in the NBA, but he has hot shown much aptitude to that. He expends so much effort and energy on offense that he is usually out of sync and out of position to play good defense. Another strange hole in his game is his distribution skills. He doesn’t appear to be a selfish player, but he only averaged 1.8 assists last season and that will not be acceptable at the next level. Another issue is his quirky personality. Some teams will find his unique, alternative persona to be charming. Others will question his professionalism.
OVERALL: Many scouts fawn over the physical skills and long-term potential of TYRUS THOMAS. Some prefer the fundamentally sound LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE, and others have bought the hype that comes with Italian big man – ANDREA BARGNANI. I like all of those players. But the guy I expect to become a star, the player I would be most willing to gamble on, is still Adam Morrison.
Date
Mon 05/29/06, 11:09 pm EST
