Morris brothers go in at 13th and 14th; Indiana Pacers net Kawhi Leonard - NBA Draft 2011 (Part -7)
No. 13 – Markieff Morris
(PF)
Phoenix Suns
Markieff Morris is one of the twin brothers in this year’s draft. His brother, Marcus Morris, was picked up at the No. 14th by the Houston Rockets. Both played for the Kansas Jayhawks.
Markieff Morris has commendable strength on the court – perfect for a power forward. His ball handling techniques are also quite appreciated, but not exactly to the mark as his twin brother. Markieff Morris can perform all typical
basketball tasks, such as rebounds, lay-ups, etc, in a good way – he averaged 8.3 rebounds and 1 block in 24 minutes of game play, leading the Kansas team in rebounds and finishing second in point scoring. The new Phoenix rookie shows outstanding skills with
shots behind the three-point line. He led the Kansas in three-pointers as well.
The 6ft-10in, Markieff Morris, can still do some good with more training on defending larger players. Overall, Markieff Morris has a future in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is certainly here to stay.
No. 14 –
Marcus Morris (F)
Houston Rockets
Marcus Morris is the twin brother of no. 13 draft pick Markieff Morris. He is an elite ex-Kansas star who has played inside and both on the perimeter while on campus.
Marcus Morris shows commendable abilities with the ball which put his ball handling skills off the rocker. He has the ability to play face-up games neatly and can shake off opponents while dribbling. Morris performs turn-around
jumpers with such uniqueness he leaves the audience awe-struck. Marcus Morris’ shot downtown are one of his great qualities. He is a consistent shooter from a distance of 17-feet.
However Marcus Morris, like is twin, lacks abilities on defence. Some effort to improve defensive skills would make the Houston Rockets’ latest rocket even more invincible. Also, Morris needs to decide where he actually is supposed
to play best. His shooting might be consistent, but he needs to define his position and make it consistent as well.
Mainly, Marcus Morris is an easy going player who will make room for himself on the court nicely. His .570 field-goal percentage (% FG) and recent play history prove his abilities.
No. 15 – Kawhi Leonard (SF)
Indiana Pacers
Kawhi Leonard played at the San Diego State. He was picked in the round one but soon traded to the San Antonio Spurs, along with Erazem Lorbek, in return of guard George Hill.
The big man Leonard has a 7ft-1in wingspan and enormous hands. Other than being the ferocious rebounder, Leonard is capable of guarding several positions. He has a huge leap on the floor and is a quite agile athlete. Still, his
jump shot needs some polishing and skills on beating the defenders lack. He has proved willing to work hard and with that, he can just turn out to be an asset for any team. Hard work will definitely be necessary to remain in league with the other Spurs stars
that are constantly in the run to remain on top both personally and as a team.
No. 16 – Nikola Vucevic (F)
Philadelphia 76ers
The 20-year old rookie came in the draft from the University of Southern California. He is good rebounder with an awesome face-up game. He has a nice hand play over the ball and plays good under the rim. A bit more increase in
size and strength added would raise the rookie’s game playing stats considerably. Vucevic still has to work on long shots and three-pointers. A bit more athleticism in his skills on the floor will help him immensely in making his game more prominent.
Overall, Vucevic is a good option who picks up rebounds off the board nicely. He was considered the best centre on the NCAA team and is seen quite successful in the defence
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