It appears far too quickly to be mourning the dying of Darius Morris, the reminiscence of the irrepressible level guard entering into the Lakers’ beginning lineup in a 2013 playoff collection and shining nonetheless recent within the minds of so many.
But a spokesperson with the Los Angeles County Division of Medical Examiner confirmed that Morris died Could 2 in a non-public residence. He was 33. The spokesperson stated it might take as much as three months for the reason for dying to be decided.
What’s going to endure are recollections of Morris’ exuberant persona and profitable smile whereas enjoying for the Lakers alongside his mentor Kobe Bryant after starring at Windward Excessive in Mar Vista and the College of Michigan.
“Darius was a fully tremendous good man, he at all times had a smile,” stated Mike Bresnahan, The Occasions’ Lakers beat author for 12 years who now could be a Lakers analyst for Spectrum SportsNet.
“What I appreciated was that when he made it to the NBA he determined he was going to get pleasure from each minute of it. He was going to have enjoyable. Darius by no means forgot that a part of it.”
Morris additionally performed in 10 video games for the Clippers in January 2014, together with stints in Philadelphia, Memphis and Brooklyn. He performed abroad and within the NBA growth league till 2020 when the COVID shutdown canceled his season in France.
Morris and his mother and father attended the fiftieth party of one in every of his highschool coaches a yr in the past and had heat conversations with associates and former teammates.
“He wished to get again on the court docket and hopefully get one other shot to play someplace,” stated Miguel Villegas, the coach who led Windward to its first CIF state highschool championship in 2009 with Darius because the star participant. “We actually didn’t discuss basketball, it was extra about, ‘How are you doing? Nice to see you.’”
These near him say he was pained by the February conviction of his father, Dewayne Morris Sr., and older brother, Dewayne Morris Jr., each of whom have been discovered responsible of conspiracy and three counts of financial institution fraud following a jury trial. Dewayne Jr. additionally was discovered responsible of witness tampering.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 3 in federal district court docket in San Diego. Each males withstand 30 years in jail.
There isn’t a indication that Darius Morris was linked with the case, through which Dewayne Sr., a profession U.S. postal supervisor based mostly in Venice and Marina del Rey, was accused of acquiring hundreds of postal cash orders price as much as $5.1 million and Dewayne Jr. of fraudulently depositing them in financial institution accounts then withdrawing the money.
Dewayne Jr. additionally was accused of paying his hire with the bogus cash orders and he was convicted of threatening his landlord — who had testified towards him earlier than a grand jury — whereas on pretrial launch.
Together with her husband and one son incarcerated and one other son dying unexpectedly, Robin Morris is understandably distraught and didn’t reply to a request for remark. A day after Darius was discovered useless, she referred to as Villegas.
“Think about that dialog,” Villegas stated. “His mother and father and I are fairly tight. I noticed him develop from a gangly 14-year-old by his transformation to turning into a younger man. Everyone seems to be simply starting the grieving course of.”
Villegas met Morris when he was in eighth grade. As brash as he was scrawny, Morris wanted to launch pictures with two fingers from his hip to achieve the basket, but he promised folks he’d be capable of dunk and that Windward was going to win a state championship earlier than he graduated.
“The primary sport I laid eyes on him, I knew he had particular expertise,” stated Villegas, now the athletic director at St. Monica Excessive. “He had the ‘it’ issue.”
Each morning, Morris can be dropped off early at Windward by his father on his option to his job on the publish workplace. Morris would shoot hoops till faculty began.
By his senior yr, he made good on his guarantees, main Windward to a Division V state title and being named CIF Southern Part participant of the yr. He scored 13 of his game-high 25 factors within the fourth quarter of the state remaining.
“Darius put the college on the map,” Villegas stated. “To me, crucial half was that he was an awesome child, an awesome teammate, a pacesetter who labored extraordinarily arduous. He checked all of the packing containers as a participant and as an individual.”
Quickly off to Michigan, Morris set a single-season faculty file with 235 assists as a sophomore. He was named third-team All-Massive Ten and was Michigan’s most beneficial participant.
The Lakers took him within the second spherical of the 2011 NBA draft with the forty first general decide. He was supplied a two-year contract however opted to signal for one yr, figuring that if he made the group he’d deserve a increase in Yr 2. Positive sufficient, he performed in 19 video games as a rookie and the Lakers doubled his wage in his second season.
“It’s type of daring, particularly for a second-round decide,” Morris stated on the time of his contract gamble. “You simply need to have religion and consider every little thing’s going to work out for you so long as you’re employed arduous.”
A SportsNet Backstage Lakers section in 2012 featured Morris enjoying cinematographer throughout a Thanksgiving celebration on the house of heart Dwight Howard and through a group flight. He took his assigned seat subsequent to Bryant.
“I’m simply capturing the second for the individuals who aren’t there,” Morris stated. “It’s all enjoyable and smiles.”
Within the 2012-13 season, the Lakers made the playoffs and confronted the San Antonio Spurs regardless of catastrophic accidents to Bryant (torn Achilles’ tendon) and level guard Steve Nash (damaged leg). Morris got here off the bench within the first two video games and began Video games 3 and 4 after guard Steve Blake was sidelined with a hamstring damage.
Though the Lakers misplaced, Morris had 24 factors and 6 assists matched up towards All-Star guard Tony Parker. Morris additionally began Recreation 4 and once more contributed six assists together with eight factors.
Morris’ final NBA season was 2014-15 with the Nets, however he continued to play within the G League in addition to in China, Russia and France. He made a remaining try at returning to the NBA in 2019 on the Las Vegas Summer season League. He’d performed in the summertime league early in his profession and mirrored on the distinction.
“I feel I’m in that in-between stage of my profession the place I can supply numerous recommendation,” Morris advised Bleacher Report. “I’ve began within the playoffs, I’ve began within the common season, I’ve performed with legends, I’ve been minimize earlier than, I’ve been within the G League, I’ve signed 10-days, I’ve performed facet by facet with Kobe. I can relate to anyone.
“When you’ve acquired a younger star that’s going forwards and backwards within the G League, I do know all that recommendation. However I’m nonetheless getting into my prime and I can play at a excessive stage. I’ve so much left.”
