Monte Morris anticipates NBA Draft, ready to ‘be a good floor general’

AMES - Monte Morris has no secrets.

Through his four prolific years as Iowa State's point guard, his passing ability was lauded as the best in college basketball. He led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio three of his four years. A more consistent ability to shoot also blossomed the last couple seasons.

Whichever team takes Morris in Thursday's NBA Draft, or signs him as an undrafted free agent, will have 140 games of evidence of his reliability.

'I'm 21 about to be 22,” Morris told The Gazette on Monday. 'My game, it ain't no question what I do good and what I'm working on. You just know what you're going to get with me. I'm a leader and always been one. I'm ready to be a good floor general in the NBA.”

Morris is widely projected as a mid-to-late second-round pick in the draft, but beyond the first round, the picks are somewhat harder to predict. ESPN projects Morris going No. 41 overall to the Charlotte Hornets while DraftExpress lists him at No. 55 to the Utah Jazz.

Former Cyclones Georges Niang and Abdel Nader, who weren't consensus draft picks last season, were both second-round selections.

Morris worked out for seven teams - Brooklyn, Indiana, San Antonio, Orlando, Sacramento, Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers - with a last-minute workout scheduled Wednesday with Charlotte. The Flint, Mich., native hasn't put too much stock or effort into predicting his own landing spot though.

'You don't want to think too much because a team could say they like you, but they're bringing in another guy and another guy at your position every day,” Morris said. 'I don't try to get too caught up in that honestly. I just try to take it day by day.

'I'm ready to get it over with and whatever team picks me, they'll just know they're getting a good one.”

Morris saw his role with the Cyclones evolve every season. He started as a role player, turned into a facilitator, became a scoring point guard and led the team in points and assists as a senior with a key defensive role.

At 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Morris isn't imposing physically and doesn't have the athleticism of a lottery pick. But the asset he provides is his ability to adapt and find a role within any team, and draft position doesn't determine success versus failure.

'I just tell them about the draft position and the draft fit and not to get too concerned about what number you are whether you're 14, 34, 50 or whatever it may be,” Iowa State Coach Steve Prohm told The Gazette. 'Let's make sure, hopefully, you get in a situation where you're a good fit and they've got great, great plans for you. That's more important.

'It's not about the number and it's not about the first contract. It's about being able to put yourself in a position to get a second and third contract. The better fit you are for the team you're drafted by, the better chances that it's possible.”

Morris' three senior teammates - Deonte Burton, Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas - also are vying for shots at NBA rosters.

All three have had a number of workouts, and Burton has drawn some interest with his athleticism at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds. DraftExpress wrote, 'operating from the center position, Burton can be quite a mismatch for opposing big men to handle as he is comfortable pushing in transition to create for himself or others and has an impressive quickness and body control getting to the rim in the half court.”

Burton is part of the trend that has seen NBA big men become more versatile. Morris' style of play doesn't succumb to trends.

As a second-round pick, Morris wouldn't be asked to be a franchise point guard. He would enter summer league as a young backup with the opportunity to learn behind veterans. But the beauty in his game, Morris said, comes back to his ability to fill in wherever needed.

'I can make shots and step in, I can do that,” Morris said. 'If it's a team where I'm surrounded by great players and a few All-Stars, then I can facilitate really well and make shots when it presents itself. So I feel like my dynamic play at Iowa State definitely helped me.”

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