Marcus Morris, PF

The 2010-11 Big Twelve Conference's Player of the Year joined his twin brother, Markief, in leading the Jayhawks to a 95-14 record (.872 winning percentage) during their three seasons with the program. Both are perfectly capable of playing any position in the front court, but with his length, quickness and scoring touch, most scouts project that Morris will settle in as a small forward in the National Basketball Association.

A member of the John R. Wooden Award All-American team as a junior, Morris led a team that ranked eighth in the nation in scoring last season (81.2 points per game) and led the NCAA Division I ranks in field goal percentage (50.8 percent), as the Jayhawks compiled a 33-3 record. Morris led his squad in scoring (17.21 points per game) and finished second in rebounds (7.63 rebounds per game) while connecting on 57.0 percent of his field goals, shooting 34.2 percent from 3-point range.

The brothers have been inseparable on the court. The pair led Prep Charter High School to a pair of state titles (2006-07), as Marcus made the game-winning shot in the title game as a senior. He closed out his Prep Charter career as the school's all-time scorer with 1,325 points. The brothers then embarked on a season at APEX Academy prior to their arrival at Kansas, where Morris finished with a 24.8-point scoring average.

Morris was an instant starter upon his arrival at Kansas. The All-Big Twelve Conference All-Rookie team selection poured in 7.4 points per game, adding 4.7 rebounds each contest for the Jayhawks in 2008-09. In 36 contests as a sophomore, he collected 12.75 points per game behind 57.0 percent shooting from the field. He averaged 6.1 rebounds and had 34 steals, as Yahoo! Sports named him the nation's Most Improved Player.

On April 7, 2011, Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self announced that the twin would forego their senior season at KU and enter the 2011 NBA Draft. "I am proud of Marcus and Markieff for the development and improvement they made, not only off the court, but on the court in their three years here," Self said.

"They have been an absolute joy to coach and performed at a level to give them the opportunity to leave and enter the NBA draft after three years. We not only wish them the best moving forward but also 100 percent support this decision for them to enter."

The 2011 consensus second-team All-American and Philadelphia native was KU's leading scorer in 20 of 38 games in 2010-11. He was named All-Big Twelve Conference first-team and was the Big Twelve Championship's Most Outstanding Player, as he finished second in the conference in shooting percentage.

Positives: Quickly becoming the anchor of a team that lost Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry to the NBA, Morris' offensive game grew rapidly and he proved to be one of the most mistake-free performers in the Big Twelve, showing confidence in his ability to score on command. He raised his scoring average from 12.8 points as a sophomore to 17.2 points per game last season … Might be better suited as a combo forward and has the versatility to play with his back to the basket (best fade-away jumper in this class) and shows very good body control taking quick pivot steps in the post to easily slip past the bigger defenders … All-out hustler who might lack ideal size, but has good ability and anticipation working around the offensive glass … Keeps defenses honest with his quick catch-and-shoot skills … Has developed much better range, making 34.2 percent from 3-point range … Works hard to get to the rim and has slippery moves needed to face up and get to the tin off the dribble … What sets him apart from most combo forwards in this draft class is that he's equally effective scoring with his jumper or simply taking the ball to the rim … Powers his way down low to beat the defender and has just as much scoring acumen from the post-ups as he does when playing off the block … Is still a work in progress as a passer (better at creating his own shot, than for others), but he makes crisp passes out of the post and his mistake-free game will not see him take foolish or off-balanced shots … Has excellent upper-body strength and strong legs to establish position under the rim … Has the quick stride to get up and down the court in a fast-paced offensive system … Effective drawing contact to get to the foul line and can bounce out quickly to fire a jumper … Once he anchors, opponents struggle to drive around him … Displays very good hands working around the basket, whether crashing the boards or following shots … Has a solid drop step and the frame to take contact and finish … Has good touch in the paint but is willing to play a physical brand of ball when needed … Keeps his body set wide and gives a good target in the post … Shows good quickness coming off the pick-and-roll to cut to the basket … Shows good vision distributing the ball vs. double teams … Has good mobility to chase down errant shots away from the basket or dive for the loose balls.

Negatives: Morris has few flaws in his overall game, but the areas of concerns are a lack of great size and length for a player likely to be assigned minutes at the four spot … Like most power forwards in this draft, he's really more of a tweener, caught between both frontcourt positions … He will need to add core strength if he hopes to compensate for his short arms combating bigger forwards … Just an adequate rebounder (6.202 per-game career average), which is a big drawback, if he is to play lots of minutes at the four spot (also has a lack of explosiveness to get up and crash the boards, needing to work on angles in order to get around the power forwards and centers) … Has to continue working on his shooting range, as he is better served firing from ten feet back, due to size deficiencies working on an inside game … Lacks the overall quickness to play on the wing, but like his adequate rebounding skills, he is not a great leaper who can compensate for his short arms (not a good shot blocker, altering just 48 shots in 109 games) … Likes to play under the rim too much, perhaps lacking confidence in his perimeter game (has attempted just 123 treys, with 76 coming last year, making 35.8 percent of those chances) … Even though he is physical in the paint, he loses most of those battles due to a lack of length and just adequate leaping ability.

Compares To: DAVID WEST, New Orleans Hornets -- Morris doesn't have a natural NBA position, but his lack of size isn't covered up by his wing span. He doesn't have explosive speed or agility to cover wing players at the 3 position. On offense, Morris got most of his opportunities while playing with his back to the basket at Kansas. He is a better scoring option in the paint than beyond 12 feet and he lacks accuracy and range from long range. He's mostly a below-the-rim swing forward with good quickness -- but not blazing speed -- a high release point and soft touch to finish around the basket. He is flexible enough to turn over either shoulder with his back to the basket and already has a destructive turnaround jumper to keep defenders on his back.

--Dave Te' Thomas

Named the Big Twelve Conference's Basketball Player of the Year, as the second-team All-American choice by The NBA Draft Report, the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and U.S. Basketball Writers Association was also selected to the ten-member John R. Wooden Award All- American team … .Chosen the Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 Big Twelve Championship Tournament and was one of ten finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy … KU's top scorer for the second consecutive year, as he totaled 654 points (12th-best season total by a Jayhawk) on 240-of-421 field goals (57.0 percent), hitting 26-of-76 treys (34.2 percent) and 148-of-215 free throws (68.8 percent) … Grabbed 290 rebounds (7.63 rebounds per game) with 32 steals, 24 blocked shots and 62 assists (1.63 assists per game) … His field goal percentage (57.0 percent) ranked 21st in the nation, as he led the Jayhawks to a 33-3 record … . The 33 victories matched KU's 2009-10 total, ranking fifth on the school team season-record chart.

Named the Yahoo! Sports Most Improved Player (national) … All-Big Twelve Conference second-team pick … Selected by the media to the league's All-Improved Team … Started 33-of-36 games, scoring 459 points (12.8 points per game) behind 174-of-305 field goals (57.0 percent), including 12-of-32 from 3-point range, as he was successful on 99-of-150 free throws (66.0 percent) … Collected 220 rebounds (6.1 rebounds per game), including 96 from the offensive glass, as he handed out 37 assists, blocked 12 shots and had 34 steals for a team that compiled a 33-3 record … Scored at least 20 points in five contests and had 14 games of eight-plus rebounds.

The Big Twelve Conference All-Rookie Team choice started 22-of-35 games for Kansas, as he put in 94-of-190 field goals (49.5 percent) and 64-of-106 free throws (60.4 percent) for 258 points (7.4 points per game), as he averaged 18.5 minutes per game … Had 11 games of 10-plus points and led the Big Twelve freshmen class in rebounding with a 4.7 average (166) … Pulled down five or more rebounds 18 times … Delivered 38 assists with 36 steals and blocked twelve shots.

PREP SCHOOL

Averaged 24.8 points and eight rebounds in 2007-08 for APEX Academy in Pennsauken, New Jersey … Closed out his prep career by scoring 20 points for the suburban team in the Jordan Brand Regional Game at Madison Square Garden in 2008.

Morris appeared in 109 games at Kansas, scoring 1,371 points (12.58 points per game) behind 508-of-916 field goals (55.5 percent), 44-of-123 3-pointers (35.8 percent) and 311-of-471 free throws (66.0 percent) … Grabbed 676 rebounds (6.2 rebounds per game) with 48 blocked shots, 102 steals (0.94 spg) and 137 assists (1.26 assists per game) … His 1,371 points rank 25th in school history, while his 654 points in 2010-11 rank 12th on the season-record chart (most by a Jayhawk since Nick Collison totaled 702 points in 2002-03) … His career field goal percentage of 55.5 percent tied Julian Wright (2006-07), Raef LaFrentz (1995-98) and Mike Maddox (1988-91) for 12th in school annals.

Led the Prep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) High School Eagles to back-to-back state titles in 2007 and 2006, playing for head coach Dan Brinkley … Prep Charter finished 27-4 in 2007 and 28-5 in 2006 … Averaged a team-high 21.5 points and 12 rebounds per game his senior season … Made the game-winning shot in the state championship his senior season, a

68-66 win vs. Aliquippa … Averaged 15.5 points and nine rebounds per game as a junior … Holds the school record for most points scored in a career (1,325).

American Studies major … One of five sons of Thomasine Morris … Twin brother, Markief, has been his teammate ever since they began playing organized basketball … Born 9/02/89 in Philadelphia, Pa.