Markieff Morris Bio
Markieff Morris is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on September 2, 1989, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he built his reputation as a hard-working power forward known for physical play, mid-range scoring, and rebounding. He won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and has played for several teams over a career that began in 2011.
Morris played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks from 2008 to 2011 and was selected 13th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. Across his career, he has suited up for Phoenix, Washington, Oklahoma City, Detroit, the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami, Brooklyn, and Dallas, with a return engagement to Los Angeles in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Markieff Morris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 2, 1989, and grew up in a large and athletic household. He is the twin brother of Marcus Morris, with Markieff being seven minutes older, and the two have four other brothers. The Morris family produced multiple basketball players, and the twins trained together throughout their youth, sharpening their games side by side in Philadelphia.
Morris attended Prep Charter in Philadelphia before transferring to APEX Academy in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was listed as the No. 17 power forward and the No. 49 overall player in the nation in 2008. His twin brother Marcus, also a top recruit, signed with a sports agent from Los Angeles, and the two announced together that they would enter the 2011 NBA draft.
Path to Professional Basketball
Markieff Morris enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he majored in American studies and played for the Kansas Jayhawks from 2008 to 2011. As a junior, he was named second-team all-conference in the Big 12, and he was selected to the Fox Sports Fifth Team All-America after that season. Those honors helped establish him as a legitimate professional prospect and led to his decision to declare for the 2011 NBA draft.
Selected 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns, Morris was drafted just five minutes before his twin brother Marcus went to the Houston Rockets. The early path from Philadelphia high school gyms to a major-conference college program and then to the NBA positioned Markieff Morris as one of the more developed forwards in his draft class.
Markieff Morris Career
Phoenix Suns (2011–2016)
Morris was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 13th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, and on January 8, 2012, he recorded his first professional double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was later named to the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge, becoming the first Suns player since Amar’e Stoudemire to appear in the Rookie Challenge, and he posted 12 points and six rebounds for Team Shaq. During the 2011 NBA lockout, he averaged 19.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in Summer League play and added 13 pounds of muscle.
On February 21, 2013, the Phoenix Suns traded for Marcus Morris, reuniting the twins and making them the first brothers to start on the same NBA team. Markieff became a candidate for the NBA Most Improved Player Award and the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award during the 2013–14 season, highlighted by a Western Conference Player of the Week honor. In 2014, he signed a multi-year extension and later scored a career-high 35 points on 15-of-21 shooting against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015. After publicly demanding a trade, he was suspended for two games in 2015 and was traded to the Washington Wizards on February 18, 2016.
Washington Wizards (2016–2019)
Morris made his Wizards debut on February 19, 2016, finishing with six points and two rebounds in a 98–86 win over the Detroit Pistons. He recorded his first Wizards double-double on February 29, 2016, against the Philadelphia 76ers, and he later scored a season-high 26 points in a victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards finished the regular season with a 49–33 record and entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed, and Morris posted 21 points in his NBA playoff debut against the Atlanta Hawks.
Surgery for a sports hernia in September 2017 limited him early the following season, but he returned to score a season-high 27 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 13, 2018. After a stint of neck and upper back stiffness in early 2019, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on February 7, 2019, and was waived the following day.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2019)
Morris signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 20, 2019, providing frontcourt depth for the remainder of that campaign. His Thunder tenure was brief but kept him active in the league while he awaited a more stable role.
Detroit Pistons (2019–2020)
On July 6, 2019, Morris signed with the Detroit Pistons, where he served as a veteran presence in the frontcourt. On February 21, 2020, the Pistons and Morris agreed to a buyout of his contract, freeing him to join a contender.
Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021)
Morris was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers on February 23, 2020, using the $1.75 million disabled player exception granted to replace DeMarcus Cousins. During the 2020 playoffs, he scored 16 points off the bench in a Game 2 win over the Houston Rockets and started Game 3 after Lakers head coach Frank Vogel moved Anthony Davis to center. He remained a starter for the rest of the series, which the Lakers won 4–1, and the team captured the 2020 NBA Finals in six games, giving Morris his first championship. He re-signed with the Lakers for the 2020–21 season.
Miami Heat (2021–2022)
On August 6, 2021, Morris signed a one-year veteran’s minimum contract with the Miami Heat. He was later fined $50,000 for an on-court altercation with Nikola Jokić during a game against the Denver Nuggets on November 8, 2021, and he suffered a whiplash injury in the incident. Morris received medical clearance to return to playing on March 11, 2022.
Brooklyn Nets (2022–2023)
On September 7, 2022, Morris signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a veteran forward. He appeared in a limited role before being moved again later that season.
Dallas Mavericks (2023–2025)
Morris was traded, along with Kyrie Irving, to the Dallas Mavericks on February 6, 2023, in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029. He was re-signed on September 16, and he reached the 2024 NBA Finals, where the Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. Morris re-signed with Dallas again on September 11, 2024.
Return to the Lakers (2025)
On February 2, 2025, Morris was traded, alongside Luka Dončić and Maxi Kleber, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Max Christie, Anthony Davis, and a 2029 first-round pick, with the Lakers also sending Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 second-round pick to the Utah Jazz. The trade reunited Morris with the franchise where he had won his only NBA championship.
Driving Style and Strengths
Markieff Morris is recognized for his physical power-forward play, ability to score in the mid-range, and willingness to defend larger centers when needed. He has built a reputation as a dependable bench scorer and locker-room veteran, with career-best stretches of efficient shooting, including a 2013–14 run in which he became only the third NBA player since 1989 to shoot over 75% from the field in three consecutive games with at least 12 attempts each.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Morris’s signature moments are his 2013 Rising Stars Challenge selection, his 2014 Western Conference Player of the Week honor, his 2015 career-high 35-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his role in the Lakers’ 2020 NBA Finals run. He also became the first player since Yao Ming in 2002 to record at least 27 points and 15 rebounds off the bench, and he is part of NBA history as one-half of the first twin duo to start on the same team.
Markieff Morris Career Highlights
Markieff Morris has compiled a journeyman career defined by consistent double-figure scoring seasons, valuable bench contributions, and an NBA championship. His resume includes honors such as 2011 second-team All-Big 12 at Kansas, a 2014 Western Conference Player of the Week award, and a 2020 NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA Career Highlights
Across the NBA, Morris has recorded career-high totals of 35 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 assists in a single game, and he has regularly produced double-doubles as both a starter and a reserve. He reached the 2017 NBA Playoffs with the Washington Wizards, posted 21 points in his playoff debut, and advanced to the 2020 NBA Finals and 2024 NBA Finals during his time with the Lakers and Mavericks.
Other Achievements
At the collegiate level, Morris was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2011 and earned Fox Sports Fifth Team All-America honors, capping a three-year run with the Kansas Jayhawks.
Markieff Morris Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Morris was raised in Philadelphia in a family of athletes, and he is the older identical twin of Marcus Morris, a fellow NBA player. The Morris brothers have four additional brothers, and the family also created the Family Over Everything Foundation, an organization that assists members of under-served communities in Philadelphia and other cities.
Personal Life
Morris and his wife, Thereza Wright-Morris, have a daughter. His nickname is “Keef,” and he is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, while his twin brother Marcus roots for the Philadelphia Eagles.
2025 Season Performance
Markieff Morris’s 2025 season began in Dallas after he re-signed with the Mavericks on September 11, 2024. On February 2, 2025, he was part of a blockbuster midseason trade that sent him, Luka Dončić, and Maxi Kleber to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Max Christie, Anthony Davis, and a 2029 first-round pick. The move returned Morris to the team where he had previously won an NBA championship.
Returning to the Lakers placed Morris in a familiar veteran role, supporting a roster built around playoff contention. His championship experience from 2020 made him a useful locker-room addition for a team adjusting to a new superstar core following the trade.
With the regular season winding down and the playoffs approaching, Morris is expected to provide frontcourt depth, veteran leadership, and postseason experience. His primary objective for the remainder of 2025 is to help the Los Angeles Lakers make a deep playoff run, mirroring the impact he had during their 2020 NBA Finals victory.