2014 Draft Profile - Jordan Morgan

Michigan’s redshirt senior, Jordan Morgan, was the bedrock of his team in every way but offense: he was the leading rebounder, the quarterback of the defense and the team’s emotional center. Morgan was the consummate leader, and exactly the kind this young, talented team needed; on a team stocked with NBA talent. Morgan was an example of what can happen when you keep your head down and put in the work.

As Michigan climbed its way to the top of the basketball world, Morgan’s own career had its share of ups and downs. The Detroit native came in as an unranked, out-of-shape center recruit, registered a revelatory redshirt freshman season with Darius Morris and then suffered benching as a result of Mitch McGary’s NCAA tournament run last season.

McGary’s back injury touched off a redemptive season for Morgan. He saved his best basketball for his final season, fitting seamlessly into his role as finisher and defensive captain. But it was his play in the NCAA tournament that solidified the legacy of this season for Morgan. He scored as many points (15) as both of Texas’ big men combined and grabbed 10 rebounds over the bigger Longhorns; he outscored both of Tennessee’s highly-touted bigs combined and took what turned out to be a game-winning charge against Jarnell Stokes; finally, he grabbed four offensive rebounds and scored 11 points in limited minutes against Kentucky.
Player profile submitted by: Joe Stapleton of umhoops - April 24th

Strengths:

Consistently gets in solid position to rebound well

Intelligent on defense, hedges hard and smart on ball screens

Finishes well around the rim

Strong leadership

Worked himself into becoming a D-1 starting athlete at Michigan

Weaknesses:

Offensive versatility

Needs to improve post-game moves and short jump shot

Finishing over left shoulder

Accomplishments

2013 Big Ten All-Defensive Team by the coaches

2014 Allstate NABC Good Works Team

2014 Academic All-Big Ten

2013 & 2014 U-M's Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player

2012 & 2014 U-M's Loy Vaught Rebounding Award

2014 U-M's Thad Garner Leadership Award

2014 U-M's Bodnar Award for Academic Achievement

2014 Team Captain

Helped U-M reach NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons

Helped U-M to two Big Ten regular season titles (2012, '14)

Helped U-M reach the 2013 Final Four and national title game; first time in 20 years

Helped U-M reach the 2014 Elite Eight

Ranks 1st all-time with a 63.10 career field goal percentage

Set U-M single season record with a 70.00 field goal percentage in 2013-14.

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