Morris was cited as someone who would have been a lottery pick if he'd left school after his sophomore year but gradually fell from grace and the first round. Interesting. Jumaine Jones, a 6-8 small forward, averaged 18.8 points at Georgia in 1998-99 and barely squeezed into the first round. But we're to believe Morris, who averaged 15.3 points, would have been chosen in the company of Richard Hamilton, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. Here's what's true. Entering his junior year, Morris was considered a likely top five pick by many NBA scouts who liked his ballhandling ability for a 6-9 player. But they don't hold a draft in November. He surrendered that status during the next several months with a dismal junior season and further declined as a senior. There is no mystery why his stock collapsed. Morris played his final two seasons with adequate effectiveness and minimal passion. The same can be said of Haywood and Woods. http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/mike_decourcy/20010629.html ------------------
First of all, his name is Terence. Second of all, while Terence's percentages declined somewhat between his soph. & junior years, that was because he was constantly being double-teamed. His raw averages went up though. To say his junior season was dismal is as ignorant as saying you're familiar with him and then butchering his name. Terence vs. Battier junior year 52pts., 32 rebs --52pts. 29rebs. Decourcey is an idiot who doesn't follow games too closely. ------------------
Gettingbranded, I would not put too much stock in what some sportswriter read from another writer. It is just like two other writers who picked Mike Mardesich ahead of Terence Morris in the draft. Mardesich never appeared and won't surface on the horizon. You mentioned a dismal junior year, according to Rocket scouting director Dennis Linsey, Terence had a good junior year after Steve Francis left Maryland, arguably better than his sophomore year. He's 6-9, blocks shots, rebounds, step out on the floor. I would say he would be a Clifford Robinson-type player in our system." Andy Katz has been the ringleader in a anti-Morris campaign. He was the character who termed the Morris factor and desperately wrote continuous articles to help coin his phrase and term. I think Houston knows fair well what they are doing compared to some sportswriter half way across the country who may have seen Terence maybe ONCE, but claims to be an expert on Terence. The Rockets (Wash Post) said F MO Taylor and swingman S. Anderson will not exercise their options to extend their contracts with Houston. Houston will not exercise its option to keep Carlos Rogers. I think it is evident that Houston intends to give Terence and Griffin plenty of PT by trading 3 players and giving up next years' #1 draft choice. Houston has been monitoring Terence Morris since he was a soph and has wanted him ever since. I will trust Houston's confidence in judging attitudes and talent over any sportswriter anyday. FREDTERP ------------------ [This message has been edited by Fredterp (edited July 05, 2001).]
Another link: http://www.acctoday.com/columns/article.asp?articleid={F65A76EE-1344-404F-818D-A22B6A1395E0} ------------------
I don't understand why someone would post stats against Battier from 2 years ago. It means squat. Look where Battier is now compared to Morris. Battier improved while Morris stayed the same. What did Morris do in his senior season against Battier, hmmm? ------------------
i wish the sportingnews.com was good, but it's just not. i read their weekly team reports, in spite of the fact that their weekly team reports are always total s**t. what can i say? i'm a junky. as for andy katz, he's just as bad as his football counterpart, mel kiper. but i guess those guys are just doing what they are paid to do: talk out of their asses and pretend they have crystal balls. ------------------
Bono: since you don't read closely, i posted the junior stats to dispel the sportingnews myth that tmo had a 'dismal' junior season. ------------------
