Darius Morris : All posts

Ex-Michigan basketball guard Darius Morris starts strong in NBA summer league play

Former Michigan point guard Darius Morris is off to a strong start this summer with the Los Angeles Lakers.

AnnArbor.com file photo

This season, though, he's got a chance to make up for lost time.

In two appearances so far with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Las Vegas Summer League, Morris is averaging a team-best 14 points per game to go along with three rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Ex-Michigan basketball players Darius Morris, Manny Harris, Courtney Sims to play in NBA Summer League

Former Michigan basketball player Courtney Sims will join ex-Wolverines Darius Morris and Manny Harris in the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

AP file photo

According to a report from the Big Ten Network, former Michigan players Darius Morris, Manny Harris and Courtney Sims will all participate in the Las Vegas event, which runs from July 13-22.

Ex-Michigan basketball guard Darius Morris re-signs with the Lakers, Cavaliers waive Manny Harris

Former Michigan basketball star Darius Morris re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The Los Angeles Lakers offered former Wolverine Darius Morris a qualifying offer over the weekend, and per Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears, Morris has accepted -- signing a one-year deal to remain with the team for next season.

Former Wolverine Manny Harris, meanwhile, was officially released by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday -- ending a two-year stint with the club.

with video: Ex-Michigan basketball star Darius Morris loves L.A., but wants to play more

Former Michigan guard Darius Morris talks about his first season as a Los Angeles Laker at the team's headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., on Wednesday.

Associated Press

Former Michigan basketball star point guard Darius Morris says he became a stronger player during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite spending most of it on the bench.

Moving forward, though, Morris said that might not be the case.

"I love it here in L.A.," Morris said Wednesday during a season-ending interview with the Los Angeles media. "But being a young player, it's really important to be somewhere you feel you have an opportunity to play and get to grow on the court, most importantly.

"We'll see what happens."

Los Angeles Times: Los Angeles Lakers recall former Michigan point guard Darius Morris

Darius Morris' pro basketball demotion didn't last long.

Nine days after being sent to the NBA Development League, the Los Angeles Lakers recalled the former Michigan basketball point guard Friday, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Former Michigan point guard Darius Morris assigned to D-League by Lakers

With the Michigan basketball program on the eve of entering postseason play, its floor leader from a year ago has received a demotion.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Wednesday that point guard Darius Morris, who set the Wolverines' single-season assist record as a sophomore last season, has been assigned to the NBA Development League.

Video: Darius Morris hits 50-foot buzzer beater in Lakers' loss to Clippers

Former Michigan point guard Darius Morris hit a 50-foot buzzer beater at the end of the first quarter of Sunday night's battle of Los Angeles-based NBA teams.

The 3-pointer didn't help Morris' Lakers in their 102-94 loss to the Clippers, but makes for a fun video highlight. Morris finished with seven points and four assists in 24 minutes of action.

Michigan at Iowa (Saturday, 1 p.m.): John Beilein not concerned with heavy minutes for Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Michigan point guard Trey Burke is is averaging a team-high 34.8 minutes per game in his freshman season, but coach John Beilein is overly concerned with the heavy workload.

Chris Asadian | AnnArbor.com

Both Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. played the full 45 minutes Wednesday during the Michigan basketball team's 66-64 overtime win against Northwestern.

And now, with just two days rest, the duo will have to gear things back up as the Wolverines look for their first true road victory at Iowa on Saturday (1 p.m., BTN).

Is coach John Beilein worried about tired legs for his two leading scorers?

"They did have the day off (Thursday)," Beilein said. "I think that was great to refresh them. I worry more about scaling back (minutes) in practice than (I do) in a game."

Darius Morris makes official NBA debut, could be seeing more time soon

Former Michigan basketball point guard Darius Morris made his NBA debut Wednesday for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Morris came off the bench for the first time during the regular season, scoring four points, handing out two assists and grabbing a rebound in 13 minutes as the Lakers topped the Utah Jazz in overtime, 90-87.

Ex-Michigan guard Darius Morris finishes with 11 points in NBA preseason debut

In May, Darius Morris was confident he had what it took to make it as a professional basketball player.

On Monday, he started his quest of proving that point.

Morris, an ex-Michigan basketball point guard, finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists in his NBA debut Monday as his Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Los Angeles Clippers, 114-95.

John Beilein: Michigan senior Zack Novak now 'living a dream' as a true two guard

Throughout his college career, Zack Novak has been used in just about every way imaginable.

The 6-foot-4 Novak has handled the ball, shot from deep, defended four positions and been asked to be the team's top rebounder, all while maintaining a role as the emotional leader of the Michigan basketball team.

But now, with a little help from sophomore forward Evan Smotrycz, Novak has been able to finally settle into his true position -- something coach John Beilein is quite excited about.

Los Angeles Times: Ex-Michigan guard Darius Morris close to Nike sponsorship, may spend lockout time in Mexico City

Former Michigan basketball point guard Darius Morris is among a group of NBA rookies yet to receive a paycheck because of the league's nearly fourth-month-long lockout.

But, apparently, Morris is doing an admirable job stretching his dollars.

According to a Los Angeles Times story, Morris, who was a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2011 NBA Draft, is on the verge of signing a sponsorship deal with Nike to tide him over until the lockout ends.

BTN 'The Journey' will feature former Michigan guard Darius Morris on Monday

New Los Angeles Laker and former Michigan guard Darius Morris talks about declaring early for the NBA Draft and preparing for a transition to the professional game in an upcoming BTN episode of "The Journey."

A Q&A with new Laker Darius Morris: 'Kobe's the greatest player in the world'

Former Michigan guard Darius Morris is happy to return to Los Angeles as a second-round draft pick of the Lakers, and he considers new teammate Kobe Bryant "the greatest player in the world," in a Q&A interview on the official team blog.

Morris also answers questions about growing up in Los Angeles and the emotions he felt when he found out he was headed home. "It was emotional ... it was an honor," he said.

with video: Flint Beecher point guard Monte Morris says Michigan is at the top of his recruiting list

One day after Darius Morris became a Los Angeles Laker, another point guard named Morris was turning heads on campus.

If things work out, the program may be able to save a few bucks by simply reusing those old No. 4 jerseys.

Flint Beecher High School’s rising junior Monte Morris, who said he was offered a scholarship by Michigan on June 16, led his team against Toledo St. John’s Jesuit at Michigan’s team camp at the Intramural Building on Friday.

John Beilein sees Darius Morris being Lakers' first pick as the silver lining to slipping out of first round

After Darius Morris slipped to the 41st pick of the NBA Draft on Thursday night, Michigan coach John Beilein still has never had a player drafted in the first round.

Beilein doesn’t see it that way.

“He was the first pick of the Los Angeles Lakers of the 2011 draft," Beilein said during a break at the Michigan team camp on Friday. "That’s pretty good.”

links and poll: Darius Morris loses millions of guaranteed dollars, gains an ideal destination

Darius Morris

Darius Morris was overlooked by many of the nation's top college basketball programs coming out of Windward High School in West Los Angeles.

So when the former Michigan point guard waited longer than expected to hear his name called at Thursday night's NBA Draft, he said it was nothing new.

"When I heard my name finally called, it was a relief. But also at the same time it definitely put a chip on my shoulder, getting picked 41," Morris said in a post-draft interview at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"But that’s the story of my life. Never been a favorite, but always been one of the best."

Los Angeles native Darius Morris chosen by hometown Lakers in second round of NBA Draft

This story was updated at 12:43 a.m.

Darius Morris is going home.

After crossing the continent to attend college at Michigan, the Los Angeles native was selected by his hometown Lakers with the 41st selection of Thursday night's NBA Draft.

More than 3 1/2 hours into the draft, Morris strolled across the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a gold Lakers cap accentuating a grey suit, and posed for photos with NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver.

links and poll: The Rockets? The Blazers? Mock NBA drafts vary on where former Michigan guard Darius Morris will land

The NBA Draft will be conducted Thursday night, and former Michigan guard Darius Morris is a likely late first-round selection, according to several mock drafts.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Former Michigan basketball point guard Darius Morris will be selected in Thursday's NBA Draft. That much is all but certain.

But finding any type of consensus on where he'll end up is a different story.

Michigan has plenty of nominees in tonight's Big Ten Awards

The Michigan athletic department is well represented among the nominees vying for top honors in tonight's fourth-annual Big Ten Awards presented by BTN.

In fact, two Wolverines go head-to-head against Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger in the "Breakout Performer of the Year" award. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and former point guard Darius Morris are the other two nominees in that category.