LSU star Alexis Morris selected in WNBA Draft
Just over a week since LSU women’s basketball won its first national championship, senior guard Alexis Morris was selected by the Connecticut Sun in Round 2 with the No. 22 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday night.
The 5-foot-6 guard from Beaumont, Texas had a long and winding path to LSU, but over the past two years has thrived under head coach Kim Mulkey, culminating with the 102-85 national title win. Morris scored 21 points in the win and cemented her legacy in doing so. The fifth-year senior was the only returner for LSU from its 2022 team to its 2023 squad and Morris was quick to step up as a leader for the newcomers.
In her final season, Morris averaged 15.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range. Time after time, Morris came up clutch for the Tigers when it mattered most, being the perfect compliment to all-american forward Angel Reese in their lone season together.
Perhaps even more impressive than her offensive ability was her impact on defense during LSU’s tournament run. Going from guarding Haley Cavinder, to Georgia Amoore, to Caitlin Clark in succession showed the type of defender Morris is and the consistent intensity she has.
The next step after LSU National Championship season
Now, Morris heads to the WNBA ready to showcase her talents at the next level.
Morris was in attendance in New York City on Monday night to hear her name called. She was alongside 14 other top picks in the building, including South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Maryland’s Diamond Miller, Villanova’s Maddy Siigrest, Tennessee’s Jordan Horston, and several others.
LSU center LaDahzia Williams and wing Jasmine Carson also declared for the draft after playing significant roles in LSU’s title run. Williams was selected ahead of Morris with the No. 17 overall pick.
Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese continued to lobby for the three players to get drafted, telling Morris she was a first rounder, telling the media Williams worked her way into being drafted. Then, Carson got hot from 3-point range on the biggest stage in the title game.
Entering Monday night, LSU had 20 players drafted into the WNBA, and Mulkey had 21 players drafted in her 23 years as a head coach. Khayla Pointer and Faustine Aifuwa were Mulkey’s first LSU players to be drafted last season — Pointer in the second round and Aifuwa in the third round, both to the Las Vegas Aces.
