Adam Morrison

This kid is certainly one of the most exciting players to watch in the country this year. What strikes me, though, is how one dimensional his game is. Is it just me, or do 95% of the points he scores come from within 5 feet of where he catches the ball? He is just a hell of a shooter and he can get a shot off against anybody. But does he do anything else? Not much of a passer. Only a passable rebounder. And he's simply putrid and disinterested on defense. Did I mention that he is no threat to break you down off the dribble? But hot damn, when the ball is in his hands it is in immediate danger of being put in the hole.

Does this remind you of anybody else?

Here are his current stats as a junior:
38.3 mpg, 28.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.1 to/g, 52.4% fgs, 40.7% 3s, 73.5% fts

How about this former 6'7" collegiate star in the making (as a junior)?
38.3 mpg, 25.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.4 to/g, 55.6% fgs, 43.9% 3s, 88.2% fts


Pretty similar, huh? Morrison puts in a few more points and a few more boards, but with a worse asst/to ratio and worse shooting percentages. But all in all, I'd say it's a damn good comparison.

So who is this mystery player? Well, I only make this comparison because of the idiotic comparisons to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and any other number of NBA all time greats I've heard Morrison compared to. In fact, this is none other then Reggie Miller at UCLA. Another outstanding 1 trick pony who carried his 1 trick over to the NBA quite well where he was a great shooter for years to come. Never was much with the D and certainly didn't make others around him better, but fun to watch nonetheless. I should note that Miller's 3 pt percentage is actually from his senior season because the 3 pt line wasn't instituted until he was a senior. Safe to say he probably would've shot a similar percentage as a junior.