braggslaw

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.

I think Michigan still makes the tourney next year but the loss makes a top 3 big ten team into a middle of the pack big ten team.

miatamich

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.

The happiest person in Michigan today is Stu Douglass. He now gets minutes again at the backup PG behind Trey Burke. Otherwise, he was looking at some serious time on the pine!

Buster W.

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:36 p.m.

Dumb move. He'll wind up in Europe, if he's lucky...

Renee

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.

It's been announced officially on mgoblue.com: &quot;University of Michigan sophomore guard Darius Morris (Los Angeles, Calif./Windward HS) has decided to forego the remainder of his college eligibility and remain as an early entry for the 2011 NBA Draft.&quot; <a href="http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/050411aaa.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/050411aaa.html</a> I'm very disappointed that we won't get to see him develop as a Wolverine, but wish him the best of luck.

FRED

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.

This year is Morris, next year will be Hardaway Jr. Michigan has moved up to Two-and-Done players. When Michigan starts to recruit One-and-Done players, they will be in the top 10 of NCAA.

KeepingItReal

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.

Darius is obviously getting some feedback other than from his family that is encouraging him to keep his name in the draft. What I don't understand is why more people are not supportive of him trying to earn a living. If he were to return to M next year and received a career ending injury, how many of you would even remember his name be the end of the season. It's interesting how the Fab Five revitalized M BB and look at the criticism they get. Go Darius!

Shawn

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.

My dream would be college degree from University of Michigan in case I blow out a knee and have something to fall back on. These kids today have no sense of loyalty and all they see are dollar signs. Sure he is a good player but 1 maybe 2 more years at Michigan would make him even better.

a2roots

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 2:06 p.m.

Sure hope someone talks to him and convinces him to stay. If he goes now he will be in a free fall to oblivion.

AnnArborTiger

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.

Darius Morris - Strengths: positional height and strength, ball handle (right hand only), ability to finish at the hoop. Weaknesses: poor open shooter, no threat with left hand, frequently over-ambitious with passing resulting in TO's. Conclusion - Good player with holes in his game. Definitely needs another year of college basketball to improve on weaknesses.

braggslaw

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 1:36 p.m.

If he does not make the NBA he will be making tons of $$ in Europe or somewhere else. Don't feel sorry for him.

PrideLand

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.

I don't watch much college basketball, so I have not seen him play much. However, even I have seen enough to know he needs to stay and develop a lot more. So, if someone close to him is not trying to talk him into staying, they will have to live with contriubuting to him making a bad decision. Sometime we stand by and watch people we know make an important decision and we stay out of the way. Even if we know what they should do. Sometimes we need to give them a nudge in the right direction. The only reason for him to go this year is if he is not confident in his own abilities, NBA scouts know this and it will drop his value if it actually goes to the NBA this year. He will be a late second round pick at best if he goes because of this instead of where his skills have him being picked higher. Teams want players that are confident in themselves and their abilities.

David Vande Bunte

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 1:25 p.m.

Given the completely inconsistent rules the NCAA follows when it comes to player eligibility, as long as Morris doesn't sign an agent, even if he is drafted, if there is an NBA lockout, can he return to the team? I understand that as soon as he signs an agent it's over, but I haven't read anywhere that he has actually done that. I look at the baseball and hockey players who get drafted and continue to play in college, and that is what I am basing my questions on. Essentially, if he drafted, does he automatically lose his NCAA eligibility, or does he only lose it with the signing of an agent?

whodat

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 1:20 p.m.

I guess there is an &quot;I&quot; in team after all. This could potentially (probaaly will) cost him millions upon millions of dollars. Well, there's always the Euro if he doesn't get drafted.

Veracity

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 1:17 p.m.

Very likely Morris is concerned about the competition he would face next year from TWO very talented recruits. Can you imagine how his stock in the NBA draft will fall if he loses his starting role to a new guy on the team?

Pablo

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.

This belongs in Sports section.

miatamich

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.

Wish he were coming back, but it is what it is. The truth is that nobody knows where (or if) he'll be drafted and if he is, only time will tell how good he may or may not be. Who thought Manny Harris would play in the NBA or the one who really floored me - Jamal Crawford. When Crawford declared for the draft, I thought he was nuts, he had not shown much in college. He's had a productive NBA career, however.

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.

That would be too bad, both for Michigan and for Darius. Hope he gets picked up, but doubt he will. Good Night and Good Luck

81wolverine

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 12:19 p.m.

Hopefully, this report ends up being erroneous. But, if not, I feel badly for Darius for making a poor decision that is going to affect him for many years. There's no way he gets drafted in the first round. I'd say mid to later 2nd round is a lot more realistic. More importantly, his skills are not nearly polished enough for the NBA. He isn't likely to make a roster for very long, and as Tater says, Europe is the most likely destination for Mr. Morris. Staying at Michigan increases his value by quite a few multiples. Still, if he really doesn't want to be at Michigan any more, I wish him the best of luck. I hope he proves me wrong.

braggslaw

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.

When he decided to go home, there was no way he was coming back. 1. did not like the coach 2. did not like the offense 3. did not like being in college.

tater

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 11:51 a.m.

It would be really stupid of him to go now. You don't know if there is even going to be an NBA season next year. Also, he would sign a guaranteed contract for a few million as a first rounder next year, but will get a non-guaranteed contract for a few hundred thousand if he is picked in the second round, as he probably will this year. I don't know the exact numbers, but for the sake of making a point, I will estimate that Morris could make around $600K total the next two years if he even makes a team, or he could make around $2 million next year by waiting and becoming a solid middle first round pick. That means he would lose around $1.4 million over the next two years by staying in the draft instead of waiting until next year. Ugh. I would imagine his family needs money and is pressuring him to &quot;do the wrong thing.&quot; I wish him well, but I also wish someone with some perspective would tell him what he is doing here. First round picks have much better politics because of their guaranteed contracts, too. There is no guarantee there will even be a &quot;this year&quot; in the NBA for Morris. I hope he has been brushing up on Yiddish or Greek, because he could end up in Israel or Greece this season if he gets bad politics in an NBA camp. As for Michigan's chances next year, I guess we are all going to find out exactly how good Trey Burke is a year earlier than expected. It will probably take a little of the pressure off of Michigan next year because they won't be predicted to finish second in the Big Ten anymore.

golfer

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 11:37 a.m.

dumb move. wait a year and get double the money. the heck with the dream for a year. take out an insurance policy and play one more year. let you mind rule vs you heart????

GeeWhiz

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 11 a.m.

Darius would have been better served by staying in school for one more year but good luck all the same. I suspect the incoming point guard, Trey Burke, will surprise a lot of people - good ball handling skills and an even better shooter.

AANative

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 10:45 a.m.

You Macabre Sunset were obviously not a Student Athlete making such a rude comment. Darius Morris is a very exciting player that fit well into Beilein's offense. It will be a great loss to this years team. I wish him well in the nba if the story is true.

mattgutierrez

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 8:35 a.m.

as good of a player as he is i don't think he really fit in beilein's offense. if hardaway jr. developes well this summer he'll more than make up for the lost production from morris' departure. morris' game is slashing and getting to the rim, he isn't a great shooter. beilein's offense revolves around ball movement and finding open shooters.

Peter Jameson

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 6:10 a.m.

he wont make it

48104

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:50 a.m.

So, no one has confirmed this, and you're going off one guys tweet. Got it.

Macabre Sunset

Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:24 a.m.

Oh, well, not like these players are real students anyway. Just rooting for the laundry in this case.