Matt Morgan has put up incredible numbers throughout his life, like record setting numbers that put him in the company of incredibly celebrated players. However, somehow Morgan's incredible performances always fall under the radar.
Morgan Sets High School Records
Morgan attended Cox Mill High School in Concord, NC. He was first player in school's history to score over 1,600 career points. As a junior in high school, he averaged 25.1 points while shooting 49% from the field and 89% from the free throw line. In Morgan's final two years at Cox Mill, he led the team to a 42-13 record while earning All-State honors both years.
So Morgan performed at a very high level in high school. He also did so during the Summer Circuit. He started off with Team CP3, where he was surrounded by talent, and then finished up with the Queen City Thunder–where he shared a team with Luke Maye and CJ Bryce, yes Morgan was consistently a leading producer on this team as well.
After his stellar performance in high school as well as the travel ball season, Morgan earned himself an invite to the prestigious North Carolina Top 80 event. The inaugural event was held in 2014, Morgan's only year eligible, and had 80 Division I players in it. Morgan was a standout there, among his peers, as well.
Ok, so Morgan performed at a high level in front of coaches in travel ball as well. But when you investigate further you'll find that Morgan comes from a basketball background as well. Morgan's father, Lamont, played at Georgetown. There, he played in 108 games and made it to three NCAA tournaments while playing alongside the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Othello Harrington and Dikembe Mutumbo.
So yes, upon further investigation it makes no sense how Cornell was Morgan's only offer coming out of high school. Clearly he should have been rolling in offers, but if that were the case it would not be the story of Matt Morgan.
Morgan Continues Setting Records
Last year Matt Morgan averaged the most points per game of any player in the Ivy League over the past 25 years. Morgan's 22.5 points per game ousted Buck Jenkins (Columbia) 22.2 points per game in 1992-93. In fact, only five players during that time frame, have even averaged 20 or more points per game throughout an entire season. Yes, Morgan again is in rarified company.
Over the past 25 seasons, Morgan has scored more total points through his first three seasons than any other player, 120 points more than the second player guy. To take it a step further, entering his senior season Morgan is already eighth on the overall scoring list, and only 395 points off the lead.
However, if Morgan were only a scorer he would not be getting NBA looks. You see, Morgan has declared for the NBA draft, and gone through the pre-draft process each of the previous two seasons. So if Morgan was only a scorer, he would not be getting those sniffs, he is so much more.
Morgan's 2017-18 season was statistically one of the best in NCAA Division 1. He was one of only four players who averaged 20+ points, grabbed 4.5+ rebounds, dished 3+ assists and made 75+ threes. Of those four players, Morgan is the ONLY one to have shot 49% or more from the field. In fact, over the last 25 seasons, Morgan is one of only two players to have averaged those stats over the course of the season AND shoot 49% or more from the field (some notable names who averaged those stats but shot less than 49% from the field are Ray Allen, Allan Houston and Damian Lillard).
I feel like we really need to drive this point home of what kind of career Morgan is having, so here are some more staggering statistics. Morgan is one of only two players over the last 20 years in NCAA Division 1 basketball to score 1,600+ points and make 230+ threes while shooting 45%+ from the field in less than 90 games played (joining Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin).
Moving Forward with Matt Morgan
Statistically, lets look at Matt Morgan in comparison to Damian Lillard for their college careers. Mind you, Morgan and Lillard are of similar size and they play their college ball at a similar level.
Damian Lillard ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Matt Morgan
Games: 104 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' Games: 83
Points: 18.6 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Points: 19.8
Rebounds: 4.3 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Rebounds: 4.1
Assists: 3.5 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' Assists: 3.2
FG%: 44.6 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' FG%: 45.5
3PM: 246 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 3PM: 231
TS%: .606 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' TS%: .603
PER: 29.3 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' PER: 22.6
Can we go ahead and set aside the fact that Matt Morgan can hoop' Not only can he play, but he is among the elites playing NCAA Division I basketball today. The fact he can really shoot the ball at 6'2'/6'3' will allow him to make money playing basketball. However, the fact that he has great court awareness, is tough on the boards and can defend too that will allow him to have a long career playing basketball. That should also afford him the opportunity at the NBA, be it sliding into a late draft pick or through a Summer League invite, Morgan should get a shot. And something tells me, that if he gets a shot, Morgan is going to make the most of it.