Nuggets second round draft pick and Iowa State product Monte Morris called-in to Julie Browman and Marc Moser's Altitude Sports Radio show this afternoon to discuss his Draft night experience, growing up in Flint, MI with his mom, and what he brings to the court as a Nugget.
The interview kicked off with a quick anecdote of how Morris fell to the Nuggets at 51. "I actually interviewed with the Nuggets at the Combine. I had a great interview and everything was going well," he said.
The conversation moved on to a moment that stands out in Morris' memory. As a fourth grader, Morris approached Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo and matter-of-factly told the legendary coach that he would recruit him one day.
"Yeah, for sure. I definitely did that. I remember it like it was yesterday."
Morris credits his rise to the upbringing his mom was able to provide him. "It was just me and my mom growing up," he explained.
His mom kept him disciplined on the court, as well, and Morris credits his record-breaking 5.17 assist-to-turnover ratio to her. "It was one game, I think my sophomore year, I had nine or ten turnovers in one game and she got on me really bad. I remember that day very clearly. She was like, 'You don't want nobody just coming up to me and taking my purse away and running with it, do you now?'" Monte recalled, "'Well treat the basketball like that.'"
The conversation then moved to Morris' playing style. "I just try to keep it as simple as possible and play the game the right way," he said.
Julie and Mose asked the guard what he expects to bring to the game. Morris is looking to focus on the defensive end. "Whenever I get the opportunity, I just want to come in with great energy and change the dynamic of the game." "I'm going to try to get a rep for being fiesty, for being quick with my hands and being good with the basketball and getting other teammates shots."