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“I’m overwhelmed,” Morris, 23, tells PEOPLE as she sits down at Spring Studios in New York City, just moments after league commissioner Cathy Engelbert called her name.
“The last couple of weeks, I definitely became more confident,” she says.
The former Tigers guard, who says confidence has always come naturally to her, has worked hard to become a strong leader for her teammates, making her a valuable asset to Connecticut’s basketball team.
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“I perfected leadership, leading my team to the national championship — that’s not easy to do, especially with inexperience and being the only one experienced in it that has played on that stage,” says Morris, who made it to the Sweet Sixteen with Texas A&M in 2021.
Morris had 21 points, nine assists and a steal in LSU’s title victory win over Iowa in the 2023 NCAA Championship on April 3.
“A lot of people just see the scoring and the assist,” she says, “but it’s the little messages and me talking and trying to keep everybody calm and relaxed” that she believes helped lead her team to a win.
“I think I don’t get enough credit for the leadership piece.”
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During “tight situations” for her former LSU team, Morris says she became a grounding voice for her teammates. “I always just tell my team, ‘Hey, right here, everybody just relax, don’t panic.’ It’s usually the same message. Usually, just say, ‘Everybody just calm down, relax. We’ve been in this position before. Just trust coach and just trust the system and trust the work that we put in.’ "
The 2023 title was LSU head coachKim Mulkey’s fourth — she previously won three national championships with Baylor before finding a title team in Louisiana.
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Mulkey, 60, showed up to support Morris during Monday’s draft, and her former teammatesAngel Reeseand Flau’jae Johnson reached out to her before the draft ceremony, she says. “They sent me videos! I love them for that. I appreciate y’all. Y’all know what it is.”
Morris will make her WNBA debut on May 19 when the Connecticut Sun faces the Indiana Fever.
source: people.com
