Darius in the Draft
Via UM Release:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan sophomore guard Darius Morris (Los Angeles, Calif./Windward HS) has submitted the necessary paperwork to declare for the 2011 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, but has opted not to hire an agent at this time.
Morris is eligible to return to Michigan for his junior season if he withdraws his name from draft consideration before the May 8 deadline.
"All my life it has been a goal of mine to play in the NBA and I am blessed to have the opportunity to take this step towards that dream," said Morris. "I look forward to going through this process with the potential of playing at the next level."
This is the next step in gathering as much information as possible to assist Darius in making an educated decision," said U-M head coach John Beilein. "As Darius considers his options we will continue to support him in every way we can throughout the process."
Morris, who was an All-Big Ten third team selection by both the coaches and media, helped the Wolverines to a 21-14 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament third round. He recorded the largest margin of improvement in scoring in the Big Ten, jumping from 4.4 points per game as a freshman to a team-best 15.0 per game this past season.
Morris broke the U-M season record for assists with 235, becoming just the third Wolverine to record 200-plus assists in a year. He recorded just the third triple-double in U-M history with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against Iowa (Jan. 30) and tallied seven double-digit assist games, including a career-best 12 helpers against Concordia (Dec. 6) and Bryant (Dec. 20). Overall, Morris led the Big Ten with 6.71 assists per game, putting him fifth in the nation.
In two seasons in Ann Arbor, Morris has started 53 of 67 career games, compiling 666 career points (9.9 ppg), 197 rebounds (2.9 rpg) and 319 assists (4.76 apg).
In not hiring an agent, he can choose to withdraw if he'd like. For a rundown on how the NBA Draft process, works, read this post. He's now gone into phase 2, which is beyond just showing interest.
tim, do you know when he'll get a grade?
Not off the top of my head. If it's not in the post I linked, I do not know.
Morris should have already received his evaluation. This is from a March 28 annarbor.com story:
The committee of NBA player personnel experts will inform draft prospects by April 18 if they are likely to be a lottery pick, a first-round pick, a second-round pick or go undrafted.
I have to assume he got a pretty good evaluation.
Well shit.
Should we run around like chickens with the heads cut off?
/s (I know it's not a huge deal. If anyone reads this, please do not commence panic until you are instructed to do so. Believe me, you will know when panic mode has been issued)
Who ticked off AMHG?
I think you mean two more years.
/please
it's a foregone conclusion that next year will be his last year.
I know, but I'd rather he have two more excellent years.
after junior year than senior year. NBA teams does not like senior players for some reason and they are automatically downgraded for being too old. Stock does not typically change much between junior and senior year.
Nobody is disagreeing with that, at least I'm not, but that doesn't mean we aren't selfish and want him to stay all four years anyways.
April 21st, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^
Saw this in 1983 when Eric Turner left an improving Michigan team only to not make it.
I never understand these comparisons. Darius Morris is not Eric Turner. For that matter, we are no longer in the first Reagan administration (or even that century). Different era, different player. He may or may not succeed, but what happened 28 years ago has no bearing either way.
you miss the biggest shot of your life and then you bolt to the NBA....not cool
He has to have atleast some hunger and motivation in him to come back after missing that shot.
He had that before he missed that last shot! CWeb had it and so on and so on. If he can make a living playing Basssiball god bless him.
Morris contributes hugely to one of the most overachieving, exciting, and likable Michigan teams in recent memory, and you act like he pissed in your cornflakes when he takes a serious look at taking an opportunity for which he has worked his ass off?
Not cool, man.
I dont really follow the NBA very closely, but I do know that rookie contracts are guaranteed for 3 years. Is that likely to change?
How does a potential lockout affect the decision at all?
There's been very little scuttlebut about that. Rookies are currenlty guaranteed 2 years and are under control of the team for up to 4. Any changes are likely to be very minor at this point such as tweaks to restricted free agency (the end of the 4th year). There may be some tweaks arond D-league elgibility, foreign player buyouts, and how long you can hold the rights to somebody but I haven't heard anything significant around changing the salary structure.
Personally, I think one way to encourage kids to stay in school longer would be to give kids who stay longer a bit more salary to compensate for them being generally further along in their development but I doubt that that would happen.
No agent - hopefully he comes back
FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
God damn it... how are we so unlucky?? It seems like any player in football, basketball and even hockey who has any type of shot of going pro does... I don't blame them at all, but we seem to be on the lose almost every player that is even borderline to go, while some other teams are able to at least retain some of those players one more year...
Damn, come on Morris, please stay!
About 20 or 30 kids pull out every year. A few stay in even with 2nd round grades but most pull back out.
Getting drafted in the 2nd round is a scary thought this year with the lockout. Only about 50% of 2nd rounders back the NBA team that drafted them which means agents won't be willing to lend money to 2nd round draftees if they don't know if they'll ever make a dime in the NBA.
Any undergrad that comes out this year that doesn't either have a 1st round guarantee or a guarantee from a top Euro club has gotten some really bad advice.
I don't know anything about Darius' handlers but I hope he is surrounded by good people.
My biggest worry is that people are feeding him shitty info.
However, even the minimum rookie salary can look mighty tempting. (Somewhere around $500K...)
To that end, he's probably thinking that he's good enough to make a roster somewhere. It's hard to argue against that line of reasoning.
Yeah, everyone panicking over this needs to relax. The deadline to declare is April 24, he's just keeping his options open in case he gets a good evaluation. And everything I've read on that front so far points to another year of development before entering the draft for real.
in a Hat....
I hope no NBA scouts are telling him he is 1st round material, which in my opion is a player who is almost ready to start, because his midrange game and defense is NO WHERE close to being good enough for the NBA.
I love Michigan and I would hate to see him go and I am not saying this just because I want him to stay but this is not good for him. He needs to spend the summer hitting 10 footers and working on his quick feet then putting that game in next years college season not the NBA.
I don't think your opinion and the actual meaning of 1st round material are the same.
Please tell....what is first round material then?
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
Well, there are 32 draft picks in the first round, and 13 rookies in the league are playing more than 20 minutes per game this season. If you think that's an arbitrary cutoff to define "almost starter" minutes, take a look at the #32 rookie in the league in terms of minutes played. Zabian Dowdell from Phoenix is playing 12.2 minutes a game, and I don't think anyone will disagree that 12 minutes is not remotely close to "almost starting."
In fact, only 2 rookies (Blake Griffin and DeMarcus Cousins) have even played in every game, much less started many of them.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Well said....me eat crow.
Still dont think he is ready though
When a guy like Adam Morrison goes from leading the NCAA in scoring while shooting 50% to being a perenniel 30-something% shooter in the NBA, it has nothing to do with respective qualities of defense. It's really just a reflection of his disgust with THUGS and TRAVELLING and ISOLATION.
I like your style fututio.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:57 AM ^
You are comparing two different positions, small forward to point gaurd. They got Adam because they thought he could shoot, I agree with you that they probably didnt look much into his defense except for the fact his wing span could cause some trouble for shooters.
But if you are a PG and a team invests in you, you bet your ass they look at defense for a PG...if you cant slow down the dribble drive or put any quality pressure on the opposing gaurd your stock goes way down.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
Ya it must be easy to stop an NBA player from scoring.
I hope there aren't front office people or agents telling him or other underclassmen thinking about going pro that the NBA labor issue will definitely be resolved. I can see how they would hint at this to get the kids to come out this year, in what is regarded as a weak draft. On the other hand, I suppose that means Darius could get a first round rating. A double edged sword huh? We want him to be awesome, but if he's too awesome he's gonna leave. Sigh.
Dmo isnt going to the nba this year
You might be right.
I'd like to hear HIM say that, though. As soon as possible.
I had to be in to work at 6:50 am today. I somehow caught my nice shirt on a door handle and ripped a hole in it. I just found out I have to be in at 6:50 am on my birthday to be tested on some stuff and then I have to give a big presentation later that day.
And now this :(
Or depending on what those tests are, a bad day to start.
JUST KIDDING!!!!!
He said this is what he was going to do. Why people are freaking out right now I do not know. He still hasn't signed with an agent and he still has time to back out. I don't blame him one bit for exploring his options. My only hope is that he is getting accurate information.
Now he has officially entered the draft, rather than just submitting his name for evaluation.
I blame John Beilein for recruiting all these one or two and done types
fuck
seconded
Comments