Darius Morris NBA stock and view on M fans

Submitted by michfan4borw on

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110520/SPORTS0102/105200335/1131/sport…

 

Darius Morris has an increasing chance to get picked in the first round according to the Detroit News.  I think it's a good thing for him (obviously) and the Michigan program long term.  That said, this quote by Morris hurts a bit; I think because it's hard to deny that he's right on some level.  Agree with him?  No? 

 

 

Once Morris declared, though, he experienced some backlash from fans who felt Michigan was primed to take a huge leap in 2011-12. But, he felt he was prepared for the criticism. He saw it happen with former teammate Manny Harris, who left last year after his junior season. "It didn't get to me, I experienced it all my life," Morris said. "You do think about it, when your biggest fans instantly turn on you. It comes with the territory with the Michigan fan base." All in all, Morris hopes fans will realize he made the best decision for his future. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110520/SPORTS0102/105200335/U-M-guard-Dari…’-pro-stock-rises-at-combine#ixzz1Mtc8KNs2

Wolverine In Exile

May 20th, 2011 at 8:50 AM ^

It's a pretty half-assed written piece IMO. What was it that he heard post-final four? What were the details of his evaluation? those are the things I'd like to read to see what the pro scouting service was telling him, how the coach relays that to him, if Beilein disagreed with the assesment etc. This article had a lot of potential, but got the typical drive by media treatment, especially disappointing since it was by the local paper with the local writer who probably had a better chance of getting that info.

Raoul

May 20th, 2011 at 9:27 AM ^

If you want some insight into the Morris-Beilein relationship, here's a quote from Morris in a Free Press article from today:

Once he declared for the draft two weeks ago, [Morris] saw a different side of his coach, who he felt truly tried to help in the decision-making process.

"I credit coach Beilein for being able to put that aside for the most part and give me honest help and support throughout this process," Morris said. "He got a little emotional, because coaching 30-plus years, he never recruited somebody and actually have that person get drafted (after playing the whole time for Beilein). For him to do that means a lot to me. ... (Emotional in a) positive way. This could be his first one and, hopefully, I'll get drafted and he'll be somewhere near, and I can see the look on his face and make him proud."

I think Michigan fans could learn a great deal from the way Beilein has handled this situation.

On a side note, the Free Press article also provides some insight into some teams that might be interested in drafting Morris:

He's buoyed by his scheduled workouts -- he mentioned the Knicks, Pacers, Rockets, Cavaliers, Heat, Trail Blazers and Thunder -- and is considering attending the group workout in Minnesota next weekend.

Wolv2004

May 20th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^

But he could be in a pretty good situation with the Knicks or the Heat.  Both of them need a point guard of the future, IMO, with Chauncey on his last legs and Bibby being, well, Mike Bibby.  Getting a point guard near the end of the first round could work out really well for those teams.

I doubt the Cavs take him with the 1st pick and Kyrie available.  The Thunder and Pacers have young stud PGs already.  Suppose the Blazers might take a shot at him too.

I'm happy for Morris.  Can't fault a kid for getting all information available and taking his shot at a dream.  It's worked out fairly well for Manny so far.  

willywill9

May 20th, 2011 at 8:53 AM ^

I think there's some truth to it- but we're no worse than any other fans.  Sometimes I thought we were worse than Yankees fans considering how we treated Navarre, sarcastically cheer our team, I've heard boos, etc. (That is until, I saw Yankees fans booing Derek Jeter a couple years back....there's no excuse for that!)

At any rate, I hear what he's saying, but I don't 100% agree... we're a pretty supportive and forgiving fan base... unfortunately the loud/negative ones standout more. I don't think we're any worse than other schools, so that quote bothers me a little bit.  I'm rambling.

Philbert

May 20th, 2011 at 9:00 AM ^

oh well, good luck to him and I hope he ends up somewhere he will see some PT this year. On the same note, I'm pumped to see trey burke so it all works out for everyone. 

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2011 at 9:07 AM ^

I think he's 100% correct on the backlash - we saw it on this site.

I don't think it's unique to Michigan, but it's real.

It's sad when you see his friends on the team like Jordan Morgan actively lose faith in Michigan fans on twitter as they all bitch about his best friend.

Is it "the majority"? Likely not.

Outraged assholes are generally louder and more strident than those whose view is mostly "that's fine".

white_pony_rocks

May 20th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^

yeah, fans need to think about how they say it, but is it really wrong to care more about how your favorite team does than if an individual on that team does what is best for himself?  fans have emotional interest in their teams, not really in the players themselves.

mmiicchhiiggaann

May 20th, 2011 at 9:05 AM ^

I understand both sides. He made the best deicision for himself, but the decision sucks for us as fans and the team. Its only human to be dissapointed, although fans directly tweeting him-and saying stuff to him is unnecessary.

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2011 at 9:08 AM ^

It's one thing to be disappointed (I was disappointed, I would have liked to see him in Maize and Blue again), and another to think that my desire to see him play for my favorite college basketball team should take precedence over what he feels is best for his life.

evenyoubrutus

May 20th, 2011 at 9:14 AM ^

Who was mad at Manny for leaving? Everyone celebrated his decision to return for his Junior year only for the team to fall on its face.  I certainly don't remember feeling (or hearing anyone else say) we need Manny back.

Either way, congrats to Darius for making this leap.

Brhino

May 20th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^

The thing I found so remarkable is that from what I've read on Mgoblog, the news, etc. is that John Beilein could have EASILY kept Darius Morris on the team for another year with a bit of persuasion.  He didn't, though.  By all accounts he was actually one of the driving forces behind Darius evaluating his NBA stock and then moving forward with the draft.  John Beilein gave up one of his best players because he knew it was the right thing to do for that player.  How many coaches can you say that about?

OldManUfer

May 20th, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^

I was at a meet and greet with Coach Beilein a few years back and someone asked how he handles it when a player lets him know he's considering entering the draft. He was pretty explicit that he wouldn't try to keep the player for selfish reasons. He talked about how he tries to be active in guiding them through the evaluation process and he has some scouting contacts. I'm sure Beilein and Morris had a frank discussion about what's in the young man's best interest. Since he stayed in the draft, I don't doubt that Beilein felt he was ready based on the feedback they received.

I'm definitely disappointed that I won't be able to watch him play in a Michigan jersey for another year (or two), but I wish him the best of luck in the draft. More importantly, I hope he goes to a team that is a good situation for him and he has a long and successful career.

Maximinus Thrax

May 20th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^

As a fan, what most disappointed me was not necessarily the fact that he left, but the fact that he left my team for doubtful shot at being picked in the first round.  It's not like he is John Wall and he is a guaranteed lottery pick.  While I recognize that UM fans are predisposed towards wanting their star to stay, I think that there were a lot of legitimate questions being asked about whether or not leaving this year would maximize his long-term outcomes in the NBA.  Like Donavan Warren, this decision could end up biting him in the ass (although of course he could do very well too).

 

PS, please do respond to this post with such phrases as "I guess you know better than Darius what is best for him" or "How great were your decision making skills at twenty years old".

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^

It just comes down to:

a) We don't know what the evaluation he got was. Your perception of his chances and what he was told his chances were (by scouts or a specific team) may not dovetail.

b) It's his decision.

somewittyname

May 20th, 2011 at 9:27 AM ^

you would think that I would have encountered at least one on either mgoblog or umhoops... I haven't seen one post on either site saying anything actually negative about him. People have expressed disappointment. People have wondered should he go if he's not a first round lock. People have wondered about the potential impact of a lockout. But I have yet to see someone say: "Man screw Darius, I hope he goes undrafted."

I think at this point we all hope the best for Morris. Maybe it's easier for motivation to think people are rooting against you.

the monarch

May 20th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^

I think it's pretty clear that the fans get angry initially when they realize the affect it will have on the team, but that fades pretty quickly into support for an alum. In my opinion, the gut reaction is natural and understandable, but probably should be tempered a bit when your talking about these kids making decisions about their lives and futures.

I still remember people--myself included--booing Drew Henson on the last night of school because he had decided to leave early to play for the Yankees. Difference is I never liked that prick.

JudgementDay

May 20th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^

And what was most dissapointing for me as a fan was that Morris said he was for sure coming back for another year, then Belien advised Morris to check his draft stock.  I can only assume Morris and Belien know more about the situation then I do, duh, but it was very dissapointing to think he was for sure coming back only for him to announce he was staying in the draft.  However, I do wish Morris the best of luck in the draft and with his, hopefully successful, NBA career.

MGoRob

May 20th, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^

Actually that's a good point. He did say he was coming back. So to be upset with fans that reacted poorly is a little unjustified when he went back on his word. Granted everyone is entitled to change their mind, but he set himself up for a HUGE fan disappointment. They are allowed to be upset.

Michigan4Life

May 20th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^

soon after Michigan/Duke game. It was simply an emotional statement.  Over time, the emotion subside and that's where logic kicks in toward making a decision for his future.  It's clear to me that Morris thinks that he'll get drafted in the 1st round which is why he declared for the draft.  If he didn't get a 1st round guarantee, he would have come back IMO.

His Dudeness

May 20th, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^

Michigan fans are the worst because most of us really believe we are the smartest guys in the room. That can be a good thing at times, but it can also cost you. Arrogance is not a likeable quality in a person.

His Dudeness

May 20th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^

Other than ND none of these school's student bodies really give two shits about football. There's also a reason nobody claims "Vanderbilt Arrogance."

To put us over the top of ND we ran out a highly successful coach in three seasons... they let Weiss stick aound at the very least until he had a senior class of guys he recruited.

MGoDC

May 20th, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^

First of all, Willingham got canned after 3 years also.

Secondly, this is a basketball thread. Stanford and Vanderbilt (and even ND) have had better basketball programs than Michigan consistently for over a decade. I don't really understand why you would bring football programs into a basketball thread about "Michigan arrogance" as it pertains to our fanbase's view of Darius. I'm not even mad at Darius and was happy for him from the day he decided to go to the NBA, but I don't appreciate the sweeping and, in my opinion, inaccurate statements about our fanbase as a whole.

The reason you dont hear about Vanderbilt arrogance is because they dont have a true sports rival in their league -- same reason you don't hear about NW arrogance too often. Doesn't mean it isnt there, just means there isnt a fanbase equivalent of MSU always trying to trash them and call them out on random things.

By this logic shouldn't Michigan fans be the sole reason for Walmart's success? We are the Wal-verines after all.

msoccer10

May 20th, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^

Darius,

I wish I could have seen you wear the Maize and Blue for another two years, but I will always be grateful for two we did get. Good luck in everything you do in the future.

aaamichfan

May 20th, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^

I think it's going to take a while before players become savvy enough to deal with absurd fans on Twitter. Also, it wouldn't surprise me if trolls signed up for fake Twitter accounts to say nasty things to him. Definitely seems like a Sparty move.

I know it's a bit ridiculous for me to say this on a Michigan-crazed message board, but it would be nice if these people had some other outlet besides Michgan sports.

bryemye

May 20th, 2011 at 10:02 AM ^

Hey buddy, these Michigan fans have brains, eyes, and opinions. Many of them are of the opinion that you are not ready for the NBA.

This isn't like being mad about Chris Webber going pro. This isn't "oh, his degree!" While I think his decision looks increasingly likely to get him drafted in the first round and possibly even into a good situation, I think questioning whether he's ready for the NBA isn't disloyal or really anything negative. That's not "turning on" Darius Morris and to say so is stupid.

bryemye

May 20th, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^

I think it's a lot of it. I think a lot of the confusion and opposition to Darius Morris leaving is that fans see him and say "he's a borderline nba player probably at best why is he leaving so early?"

I understand when you consider the weakness of this draft etc the decision makes more sense but the initial reaction is confusion because I don't think people watch Darius and say "oh man that kid's a stud at the next level" the way they did with John Wall and other kids who leave early for holes in his game discussed ad nauseam on here.

But yeah I think you saw a lot of Michigan fans going from "Darius is awesome!" to "Darius isn't that good!" pretty quickly when the context changed so suddenly and that could be construed as turning on him but isn't.

Maybe he's just referring to people calling him a traitor or quitter after the way the season ended which is way out of line.

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2011 at 12:02 PM ^

There were people who did what you describe in the final paragraph. I do sort of think what you describe in the 2nd to last paragraph is turning on him a bit - or at least juvenile. When he's "ours" he's great - but when he's not...

As far as criticism of his game - why? What point? So we all got to log onto the internet and post on his twitter feed that he doesn't have a left hand. It's not incorrect, but it's pretty dickish.

Section 1

May 20th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^

Because as I read this, I thought, "Wow, Darius Morris sounds as though he is just as much of a 'victim' as multimillionaire Chris Webber..."

I don't know what sort of rah-rah Darius Morris expects from a team he has just quit.

There are at least a couple of schools of thought among Darius' critics, of course:

  • He is personally not ready for the NBA and it is a tactical mistake for him to leave this year, as opposed to, say, next year.  That view seems to essentially acknowledge the NCAA as a AAA farm system for the NBA.  (I'm no NBA or draft expert; I have no opinion about this at all.)
  • The real goal in NCAA basketball should be for all players to play four or five years and get a degree in four or five years.
  • (The last, low-level fanbase reaction; we used to root for him because he's on our team, and now he's not on our team.)

I don't much like this decision, or Manny Harris' decision to leave early, and I am happy to own it, Darius!  I just prefer guys who play through their eligibility and get their degrees.  Here's what I wrote, and I stand behind it.  I don't care too much if Darius Morris likes it or not.

Are Michigan fans obligated to root for Morris to go high in the draft?  Does it matter to our program, if he goes in the First or Second Round?

I imagine that a widly successful career in the NBA for Darius Morris might result in some return donation back to the University by Darius.  And that it might be a morale- and p.r.-boost for our program to be associated with a top player in the NBA.  Those are genuine positives; but they would have been positives whether Morris played 2, 3 or 4 years at Michigan.  I'd rather have 4-year players.

My big complaint is with the basic notion that any kid leaves school early.  I hate to have to say anything nice about Duke, or Tom Izzo's Spartans, but they seem to be doing a better job of keeping their recruits in their programs for the duration.  In some sense, I don't care too much more about Darius Morris' future than I do about Justin Boren's future.  I thought they were both great while they were here, but they both bolted.  So end of story.

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^

Equating anything Morris has said to what Webber publicly said about being an amateur athlete is so obscenely disingenuous it make me legitimately angry with you.

I don't begrudge your values (staying in school is good, etc.), and see that they have merit. What is stupid, paternalistic, and wrong is to impose your values on others. He didn't make the decision that you would have. That's all.

Section 1

May 20th, 2011 at 10:58 AM ^

What is anybody "imposing" on Darius Morris?  Let's ask Darius what's the worst and most awful freakin' thing that he has had to endure from the University of Michigan and its basketball program supporters, after Darius came here on a full scholarship and used his time here to successfully advance his basketball career?

What's the worst thing that I, or anybody else, has said about Morris?  Of course he made a decision that I personally don't like.  And that's all that I have said; no more, no less.

What does Morris want?  As far as I can tell, he's getting exactly what he wants.  He wants an agent, to negotiate a huge NBA contract for him.  And that's what Morris is getting, no matter what any fans say.

OldManUfer

May 20th, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^

You (and other Michigan fans) are certainly not obligated to do anything, including hope Morris is drafted in the first round. But why wouldn't you? At this point he's not coming back, the best thing for Michigan is to root for him. What's the tangible benefit if he doesn't get taken in the first round? Do you think that Morris going undrafted is going to have much of an effect on the next player thinking about leaving early? Even if it does, from a purely Michigan-centric viewpoint, Beilein getting his first drafted recruit helps more. Yes, the same could be said if Morris had stayed all four years, but that's no longer an option. Given how much he helped the team this year, I'm sure Beilein would still have recruited him just as hard had he known what he now knows.