Former NBA Top-3 Pick Adam Morrison Calls it Quits, Chooses to Coach Instead
From being a big-time star in college, former NBA lottery pick Adam Morrison has gone back to school -- this time as a member of the coaching staff.
Morrison, who was picked third overall in 2006 after a stellar college career at Gonzaga, has signed on to become a student assistant to Mark Few at his former school. His student assistantship covers his last year of college, which he chose to forego after declaring for the draft after his third year with the Zags.
The former Oscar Robertson trophy winner admitted that despite the hype surrounding him in college, his professional career was not just meant to be just as excellent.
"There was a time in the past it was really upsetting," Morrison told the Spokane Spokesman. It was a combination of things. I didn't play well my first year and then I had a knee injury ... So that part is frustrating, but at the same time I had so many life experiences, made so many friends and did so many things that other people have never had had the opportunity to do."
After averaging a shade below 12 points per game in his rookie season with the Charlotte Bobcats, Morrison suffered a knee injury that severly limited his mobility and playing time. His statistics fell sharply, and he ended up being traded to the LA Lakers, where he played a total of 39 games in two seasons.
The once-explosive player then plied his trade in Europe, where he averaged 15 points for Serbian team Red Star Belgrade. He attempted to return to the NBA, scoring 20 points a game for the LA Clippers' Summer League squad, earning him a place with the Portland Trail Blazers which waived him in October 2012.
With his new stint as Gonzaga, Morrison returns to the place where he averaged 28.1 points in 2005-2006. He aims to earn his degree and work his way up to a full-time coaching job. And he's learning to dress like a coach too.
"I did go to Men's Wearhouse and get some suits. I don't mind dressing up a little bit. Shoot, I did it in LA for 110 games so I guess I'm kind of used to it," Morrison says, fully at peace with his decision to return to the sidelines.