Twins Marcus and Markieff Morris, who announced their decision to attend Kansas University on Wednesday night, were still beaming about their choice on Thursday morning.
“They’d been trying to call me the last three days, but I’d been away. I talked to them today, and they were happy, really excited,” said Highland Park Warriors AAU coach Greg Wright, who has worked with the fraternal twins the past six years.
“I think they will be able to come in and play (immediately). The more competition you throw at them, the better they are.”
Marcus, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound small forward, and Markieff, 6-10, 230, are Rivals.com’s No. 37- and 74-rated players respectively.
“Marcus can play the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He can play all five positions like Magic (Johnson),” Wright said. “I hate to say it because there’s only one (Magic). He will probably play on the wing.
“Markieff is more a power forward. He’s 6-10, no telling how many inches are left in him (in terms of growing). He’s got a good inside game, medium-range game. His skills will be refined under coach (Bill) Self.
The Morris twins of Philadelphia join Quintrell Thomas, a 6-8 forward from Newark, N.J., as three incoming players from the East, the home of Jayhawk Russell Robinson.
Wright said KU has a great reputation out East and could continue to pluck players from the area.
“We’ve got roots out there from back in the 50s,” Wright said of Philly native Wilt Chamberlain starring at KU. “What this has done is open it up for more top kids, especially in Philadelphia.”
The twins and Thomas will sign with KU on Nov. 14, first day of the early-signing period. They likely will sign in Cherry Hill, N.J., not Philly. They are spending their prep school year at Living Faith Christian Academy, which partners with APEX Academies, an intensified basketball training program. They will play a 30-game schedule with Jersey school APEX.
“It’s about an hour drive away. They stay there all week and come home on weekends,” Wright said. “Now that the season is starting, they won’t come home much.
¢Morgan decision coming: J’Mison “Bobo” Morgan, a 6-10 senior center from South Oak Cliff High in Dallas, will choose either KU, LSU, Alabama, UCLA or Cincinnati at a noon news conference today at his high school.
¢Joseph update: It looks as if Devoe Joseph, a 6-foot-3 guard from Ontario, Canada, will not be visiting KU this weekend as had been tentatively scheduled. He will visit KU, Minnesota, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt in coming weeks.
