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| Where is Adam Morrison these days? Nobody knows. |
Summary: After a stellar junior season for Gonzaga, in which he averaged 28.1 ppg and shared national player of the year honors with friendly rival J.J. Redick of Duke, Morrison was selected third overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2006 NBA Draft, behind Andrea Bargnani and LaMarcus Aldridge, but ahead of talents like Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, and Rajon Rondo.
The first player picked in Michael Jordan's tenure with the team, Morrison started out on a high note, but eventually lost his starting spot in his rookie season, in part due to awful shooting from the floor (37%). After suffering a major knee injury in the 2007-2008 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in early 2009, where he rode the bench for two championship seasons. In 2011, he was released from the Wizards after training camp.
Punchline: Adam Morrison was, and still is, an easy target. With his un-stylishly long hair, that wispy peach-fuzz mustache he insisted on growing, and the extreme difficulty he had in producing a smile, every picture of Morrison looked like a mugshot (on the Lakers, he went for a more "Three Musketeer" look, as seen in his starring role in "Worlds Fastest Interiew Ever"). His personality was both flat and abrasive in a passive-aggressive way, and his interviews have achieved a cult-like status for being incredibly awkward. He gives off an air of someone who never properly learned how to interact with other people.
At Gonzaga, he laid his emotions out on the court for everyone to see, most notably after his final collegiate game, dubbed "Heartbreak City," in this YouTube clip. National audiences saw Morrison smash the game basketball on his face after winning the 2006 WCC Tournament title and they saw him break out in tears after the Sweet Sixteen loss to UCLA. Coupled with his ridiculous appearance, people grew to love making fun of him.
Instead of transitioning subtly to a professional career, Morrison was featured in three different NBA Live spots: emotion (why crying is a good thing), nicknames (Spokane's Most Wanted?), and mustaches ("My mustache speaks to me..."). This set a trend; nearly everything Morrison did in the NBA turned into comedic fodder. In post-championship celebrations in 2009 and 2010, Jimmy Kimmel rips into the seldom-used backup, the first time to his face. Seeing as he had almost no playing time, Morrison's "highlights" mostly come from his behavior on the bench, besides a stolen high-five (the high-five ninja): throwing a towel at Spencer Hawes, botched celebrations, yawning at inopportune moments, and his victory pose.
Future: Adam Morrison's skill was strongly associated with his confidence, and his confidence was irreversibly shaken when he battled high expectations in his first season with Charlotte. Under the coaching reign of the offensively-challenged Larry Brown, Morrison was too timid on the court, too cautious to shoot, too afraid that he wouldn't live up to expectations. As a high-volume, confidence-based shooter, he was crippled; mentally, he was never the same. Take note of his demeanor in interviews from the past few years; it gets progressively worse. By the time he reached the Lakers, he was throwing up airballs in garbage time.
Morrison still has talent, but his future in the NBA looks dim. The best thing he can do at this point is to sign a contract overseas and start fresh with a new team, a new league, and fans with low expectations. There he can rediscover his shooting touch, regain his confidence, and rebuild his career.
Biggest Punchlines will be a recurring segment.
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Dean Karoliszyn is the Editor-in-Chief and cofounder of Jabroni Free Sports.
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