Monte Morris putting on weight, readying for CP3 Elite Guard Camp

WEST DES MOINES — Iowa State point guard Monte Morris heard feedback about how he can transform himself into an NBA player then made his decision to return to Ames.

Now everything Morris is doing is to insure that at this time next year, he'll be in a position to live his professional basketball ambitions. It's all started with increasing his weight.

The 6-foot-3 senior from Flint, Mich., has the height of an NBA point guard, but until now hasn't necessarily had the weight of one. Morris has also been durable — playing more than 39 minutes per game as a junior — but has made a commitment to add to his frame.

'I weighed in (Wednesday) at 180 and at the end of the season I think I was 169 or 170,' Morris said following his first game in the YMCA Capital City Men's Basketball League. 'I've just been eating a lot, man, and drinking the right stuff as opposed to juice. I'm just drinking water man. Water ain't the best, but I'm drinking it for water weight purposes.'

Diet is a key part of attaining the weight gain Morris is hoping for, but there is also a renewed commitment to lifting weights. Iowa State named Pete Link as its head strength and conditioning coach two weeks ago, which has been a change in approach for Morris.

Link has begun implementing more individualized weight routines, Morris said, and has put an emphasis on not just getting a workout completed, but completing it in a manner that will pay dividends in the future.

'He's doing it so I'm not doing the same lift as Deonte (Burton) would and things like that,' Morris said of Link. 'He's doing stuff to help you as opposed to just doing it with the whole group. He takes his time. We've got individual times we go in and he's precise. He's locked in to everything you do.'

Morris spent the beginning of the summer working out in Atlanta with Nick Stapleton, a Flint native who played collegiately at Austin Peay, but will make a trip east next weekend.

The senior was invited to the CP3 Elite Guard Camp run by nine-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers. It will be held in Winston-Salem, N.C., from June 23-26.

Morris envisions himself playing point guard mostly during camp, but as summer workouts progress with Iowa State, he hopes to play off the ball on occasion and continue developing an outside shot.

'I'm just looking to go there and compete,' Morris said of camp. 'I know there are going to be some big-time names there. I'll really get a chance to pick Chris Paul's brain and see what I can get better at and where you can pick your spots, things like that. I'm looking forward to it.'

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