Monte Morris, Senior, Guard, Iowa State
Overview:
After an exceptional four year career at Iowa State, Monte Morris is headed to the NBA. Morris conducted the Cyclone offense beautifully, leading them to a top 12 offensive efficiency rating and a top five seed in the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons. He led the entire NCAA in assist to turnover ratio in three out of four years, is familiar with an NBA-style offense and has solid size for a point guard at 6-3. Morris should be an excellent option for teams looking for a reliable back-up point guard.
Morris’ best skill is his all-around basketball intelligence. He doesn’t have top-notch athleticism and is a thin 175 lbs, but his feel for the game compensates his shortcomings. Morris is a tremendous floor general in constant control of the offense. He creates opportunities for his teammates in all areas of the game. He can manipulate the defense in transition, getting the ball ahead for easy scoring opportunities at the rim. Morris always knows where his teammates will be and can make passes all around court. Out of the pick and roll, Morris can make pocket passes on dives to the rim, pinpoint lobs or whip passes to shooters in the corner. Iowa State ran an NBA-style, fast-paced offense which should help Morris seamlessly convert his game to the next level.
As excellent as he is creating offense for others, Morris will need to become more proficient at creating scoring chances for himself. He’s more crafty than quick and often times is forced to settle for difficult mid-range shots. Despite his 6-3 height, Morris lacks explosiveness and plays mostly below the rim. Once he does get to the rim, he’s easily affected by length and fails to absorb contact, averaging just 2.6 FTA in his college career. With his inability to consistently finish around the rim, it will be crucial for Morris to continue to develop his floater. If he doesn’t develop as a scorer, his playmaking ability could be easily negated by NBA defenses.
Where Morris can become a very valuable pro is with his jump shooting and defense. He has adequate shooting numbers, with a career 38.1% mark from deep. However, he doesn’t take many threes and his shot form needs some work. He cocks the ball back a bit on his follow through and doesn’t always land on balance. He was a good pull-up shooter from mid-range in college, but will need to extend that range in the NBA. Defensively, Morris plays much like he does on offense. He’s more smart than skilled as he used his instincts to tally 1.6 steals per game over his career. However, his average lateral quickness and lack of strength could hamper his defensive potential.
Final Projection:
Monte Morris should easily be able to find work in the NBA with his first-class playmaking skills and great instincts. He’s not necessarily an NBA-caliber athlete, but his savviness and all-around basketball IQ will help him at the next level. Being able to develop his scoring ability could be the key to unlocking his full potential. If defenses are forced to respect Morris as a scorer, it will provide him more room to create for others, which he does so well. Morris is a prototypical back-up point guard and could become a reliable starter if he expands his game.
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