G Leaguer Morris fulfills dream of NBA as virus hardship player
BOSTON — Jaylen Morris’ introduction to the Spurs was a whirlwind process.
Signed to a 10-day contract under the NBA’S Covid-related hardship exception after Doug Mcdermott and Lonnie Walker entered the NBA’S health and safety protocols last week, the G League guard didn’t have a second to spare in getting from Austin to Detroit on Saturday.
“When I got to Detroit, the game had already started,” Morris said before the Spurs faced the Raptors on Tuesday in Toronto. “I had to get COVID tested and wait in a back room by myself for 30 minutes to see if the test would clear. Then I was on the bench supporting my teammates.”
Morris, 26, said the fast-paced journey was well worth it.
“It was definitely a different experience doing that on game day, but I was glad to do it,” he said.
The 6-foot-5 guard joined the Spurs after averaging 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 27.3 minutes over 13 games with the Austin Spurs. He also played on the Spurs’ 2021 summer league team in Utah and Las Vegas, where he averaged 10.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.5 minutes.
Morris has played with several of the Spurs players either in Austin or at summer league, including Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, Josh Primo and Joe Wieskamp.
“He’s like a utility guy.
He’s got everything in his bag,” Primo said of Morris. “He can do everything — rebound, attack the basket really well and he’s a great spot-up shooter. In Austin, he was a huge piece. Whenever he played well, we all played well. He was an energy guy for us. I’m glad to see him here.”
Morris was not recruited by any big schools as a prep star at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., so he moved on to Division II Malloy College in Rockville Centre, N.Y., where his father, Patrick, is an assistant coach.
Undrafted after averaging nearly 20 points as a senior for Malloy, Morris got a break at a G League showcase event in Chicago, where he performed well enough for Atlanta’s affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks, to select him in the second round of the 2017 NBA G League draft.
Now he’s with the Spurs hoping to get some playing time in a bid to get his foot in the door in the NBA after also playing overseas in Greece and Israel and logging a total of 10 games spread over two seasons with Milwaukee and the Hawks.
“You definitely want to make the most of any opportunity you are given,” he said. “But it’s unfortunate this is with guys going down into COVID protocols.”
No matter what happens, Morris said he’ll keep things in perspective.
“My worst day can be somebody’s best day, so I just try to keep that positive mindset with whatever I do in basketball,” he said. “I am living my dream being a professional basketball player. That brings me all the joy in the world.”
Murray to rejoin team in Boston
Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday in Boston after several days doing conditioning work after a stint in virus protocols that began Dec. 26.
“That’s the last word I got,” coach Gregg Popovich said.
Asked if he would be available to play in what would be his first game since the Spurs trounced the Lakers on Dec. 23 in Los Angeles, Popovich said, “I think he’s available unless I misinterpreted what I was told (by the medical staff ).”
Tuesday’s game marked the fifth in a row Murray has missed.