Rookie Markieff Morris Gets The All-Star Nod, Will Represent Suns In Rising Stars Game

by Seth Pollack on Feb 8, 2012 1:32 PM MST in NBA All Star Game

It's never a bad thing when you are just 25 games into your NBA career and you get tabbed to spend the All-Star break at the NBA All-Star game. Phoenix Suns rookie Markieff Morris, the 13th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, was selected as one of nine first-year players to participate in the newfangled Rising Stars game in Orlando at the end of February.

The Rising Stars game replaces the old Rookie-Sophomore game and adopts are more fan-friendly approach by having celebrity stars pick their teams from a pool of players. Morris will join these NBA Rookies and Sophomores in the game:

MarShon Brooks New Jersey G-F 6-5 200 Providence/USA R

DeMarcus Cousins Sacramento C 6-11 270 Kentucky/USA 1

Landry Fields New York G 6-7 210 Stanford/USA 1

Paul George Indiana G-F 6-8 215 Fresno State/USA 1

Blake Griffin L.A. Clippers F 6-10 251 Oklahoma/USA 1

Gordon Hayward Utah F 6-8 210 Butler/USA 1

Kyrie Irving Cleveland G 6-3 191 Duke/USA R

Brandon Knight Detroit G 6-3 189 Kentucky/USA R

Kawhi Leonard San Antonio G-F 6-7 225 San Diego State/USA R

Greg Monroe Detroit C 6-11 250 Georgetown/USA 1

Markieff Morris Phoenix F 6-10 245 Kansas/USA R

Ricky Rubio Minnesota G 6-4 180 FC Barcelona/Spain R

Tiago Splitter San Antonio F-C 6-11 240 Saski Baskonia/Brazil 1

Tristan Thompson Cleveland F 6-9 227 Texas/USA R

Evan Turner Philadelphia G-F 6-7 205 Ohio State/USA 1

John Wall Washington G 6-4 195 Kentucky/USA 1

Kemba Walker Charlotte G 6-1 172 Connecticut/USA R

Derrick Williams Minnesota F 6-8 241 Arizona /USA R

Here's what the Suns press release has to say about Keif:

Morris earns the honor after averaging 7.2 points, and an NBA rookie-best 5.0 rebounds in 20.6 minutes while appearing in all 25 of the Suns' games this season. In addition to rebounding, the versatile power forward also leads all rookies in three-point percentage (.460), seventh-best in the NBA overall, and ranks eighth among first-year players in scoring. Morris is one of seven rookies who have recorded a double-double this season.

It is fitting that Morris is the first Sun since Stoudemire to earn a Rising Stars selection because the former University of Kansas standout is having the best statistical season by a Phoenix rookie since Stoudemire. Morris is averaging the most points and the most rebounds by a Suns rookie since Stoudemire in 2002-03, and is nearly one of only nine first-year players in franchise history to average at least eight points and five rebounds.

TNT's Kenny Smith will serve as the honorary Commissioner and Ernie Johnson will host the live BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Draft on Thursday, Feb. 16, on NBA TV at 7 p.m. ET.

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Comments

I wonder....

….how competitive the players are going ot be in this game or if it is just a “younger” players pick up game? Rookies vs Sophomores had an edge because you never want to be beat by your younger brother/sisters. Ratings will be better, so I can see why they changed it.

by Think about it on Feb 8, 2012 1:40 PM MST reply actions

Having celebrities pick teams?

How were players picked for the old format?

Not so sure this is a move in the right direction, but whatever

Free Steve Nash!

by JSun on Feb 8, 2012 1:45 PM MST reply actions

It was originally just straight up Rookies vs Sophomores.

Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.

Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.

by NashMV3 on Feb 8, 2012 1:46 PM MST up reply actions

Rookies vs D League All Stars is a better concept

Talk about a match that would have REAL meaning.

by MMotherwell on Feb 8, 2012 3:52 PM MST up reply actions

Yeah, but how'd they get selected?

Free Steve Nash!

by JSun on Feb 8, 2012 3:53 PM MST up reply actions

The same way these guys were?

I’m guessing media people and a bunch of “analysts” picked them.

What they mean by picking teams is that Shaq and the Chuckster will be “drafting” each player for their team. It’s like playing a pickup game basically where you have captains choose who they want on their team. Then when that’s all done with, they play.

Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.

Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.

by NashMV3 on Feb 8, 2012 3:59 PM MST up reply actions

Well done Morris.

The Suns on a nice win streak, Morris getting some props what a great day.

by Sunderstruck on Feb 8, 2012 1:51 PM MST reply actions

Congrats Keef

You deserved it. Hopefully you will continue to develop and be a building piece for this team moving forward. I know the FO already loves what he brings to the team in just his rookie season. I will be interested to see how he comes out of the gates next season after a legitimate offseason and training camp this time around.

"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!

by Airwave on Feb 8, 2012 2:09 PM MST reply actions

Doesn't say much about

an NBA rookie-best 5.0 rebounds

big men coming out of last year’s draft.

Enes Kanter is 8th in the league in rebounds/minute, but he only averages 4.9 a game because it’s hard to rebound from the bench. I notice he didn’t even make the cut.

Morris has shown a lot of promise this year. Hopefully he can continue to improve.

I’m not sure why the Suns went the way they did with the press release, though, because Morris and Amare’s rookie seasons have no basis for comparison.

Fans were ecstatic about Amare. They thought the Suns had just stumbled upon a franchise player. Nobody believes that ceiling exists with Morris. Amare was much younger (19 compared to 22) than Morris and was a giant ball of raw talent and athleticism. By the time Amare was Morris’s age he was averaging 26 points a game.

I think that the statement “he’s the best since Amare” has more to do with the fact that the Suns have avoided the draft like the plague for a decade than it does with Morris being close to Amare on a talent basis.

It was only called the mildly irritated house on McDowell until I showed up.

by Jim Coughenour on Feb 8, 2012 3:00 PM MST reply actions

I’m not sure why the Suns went the way they did with the press release, though, because Morris and Amare’s rookie seasons have no basis for comparison.

simply to talk up Morris, and to throw in the last guy who bettered his numbers. And, for google hits.

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 8, 2012 4:56 PM MST up reply actions

Congrats big guy

Now lets kick it up a notch and get back to that Rookie we saw in the beginning of the season. Oh, and no more of this “I wanna be a bench player” talk OK??

Member of the "Let’s Make FanShots Relevant!" Club

by AcucracK on Feb 8, 2012 5:16 PM MST reply actions