Darius Morris, a former standout basketball player at the University of Michigan and four-year veteran of the National Basketball Association, was found dead in the Los Angeles area on May 2. Morris, a Los Angeles native, played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Memphis Grizzlies from 2011-2015.
As TMZ reports, the family informed the outlet in a May 4 statement that Morris had died and requested privacy. “With great sadness we announce the passing of our dearly beloved son, Darius Aaron Morris. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
There are little to no details regarding his death, but Morris’s death has prompted an outpouring of heartfelt messages on social media ranging from the Los Angeles Lakers’s official Twitter/X account to beat writers who covered Morris when he was a standout basketball player in high school.
Following the conclusion of his NBA career, Morris spent several seasons playing for teams in China, Russia, and France but attempted a brief comeback in 2019 while competing for attention from NBA teams on the San Antonio Spurs Summer League team. At the time, Morris seemed appreciative of his second chance at the league, telling Bleacher Report,
“When you’re a young guy, you’re a little on edge about it because you’re uncertain about your own future. But once you see, this old guy is cool, he’s helping me out, he’s talking to me, he’s communicating with me, they kind of let their guard down.”Morris continued, “I think I’m in that in-between stage of my career where I can offer a lot of advice. I’ve started in the playoffs, I’ve started in the regular season, I’ve played with legends, I’ve been cut before, I’ve been in the G League, I’ve signed 10-days, I’ve played side by side with Kobe. I
can relate to anybody. If you’ve got a young star that’s going back and forth in the G League, I know all that advice. But I’m still entering my prime and I can play at a high level. I have a lot left.”Morris concluded, still optimistic about his chances, “You definitely do be having those doubts, especially as you get a little bit older and things don’t happen overnight. I’m human, so I definitely get those thoughts. That’s when I let my faith in God take over. The fact that teams keep calling lets you know that you’re still on their radar. When they
stop calling, that’s when I’ll start thinking maybe it’s over. It’s just trying to find the right fit and staying in front of them. A lot of stuff is just about timing. Since I’ve been out, I’ve been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now it’s about being in the right place at the right time.”RELATED CONTENT: Former NBA Player Brandon Hunter Dead At 42