User:Editorofthewiki/Nate Morris (basketball)

Nathaniel Malachi Morris (born January 29, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA). He attended Lancaster High School, where he was considered a three-star recruit, and briefly played for Ole Miss at the college level before being dismissed for multiple driving-related arrests.

High school career
Morris played basketball for Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Texas. He also competed for the Dallas Mustangs on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit. In his junior season, Morris averaged 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, as his team finished with a 34–4 record and won the Texas 5A state championship.

In July 2014, at the Reebok Breakout Classic, he drew attention for his defensive efforts despite being dunked on. An article by NBC Sports said that he "proved why every coach in the country should recruit him." In the spring of 2015, before his senior season, Morris averaged 7.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3 blocks per game with his AAU team at the Adidas Gauntlet. As a senior for Lancaster, he guided his team to 36–2 record and a Texas 5A state title, while earning first-team all-district, region and state accolades. He was also a nominee for the McDonald's All-American Game.

While in high school, Morris was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, committing to Ole Miss on October 27, 2015 despite receiving offers from Florida State and SMU.

College career
On November 13, 2016, before playing a college game, Morris was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) and speeding. As a result, he was suspended indefinitely by Ole Miss for violating team rules. Morris made his debut for Ole Miss on December 11, 2016 against Virginia Tech, recording 1 turnover in 2 minutes. On January 10, 2017, he was arrested again for speeding and driving with a suspended license, leading to his dismissal from the team. Through 7 games, Morris averaged 1 rebound and 0.4 blocks, scoring no points in the entire season.

Morris signed to continue his career with Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas on January 26, 2017, with hopes of reuniting with former AAU coach Chad Bowers, who was an assistant coach for the team. However, he never appeared with the team. Morris later reflected, "I was working and hopping from job to job."

Professional career
In 2018, Morris was contacted by LaVar Ball, founder of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), to play in his newly-created league. On June 23, 2018, he made his JBA debut for the Dallas Ballers, recording 12 points and 8 rebounds against the Seattle Ballers. On July 3, in a 122–110 win over the Los Angeles Ballers, Morris posted a team-high 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks. During the 2018 JBA season, Morris reportedly drew interest from NBA G League teams. He was later named to the West roster for the JBA All-Star Game.