Markieff Morris Bio
Markieff Morris is an American professional basketball player born on September 2, 1989, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A power forward, Morris played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks from 2008 to 2011 before being selected 13th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. He has spent more than a decade in the NBA, building a reputation as a tough, physical frontcourt player. In 2020, he won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Morris has continued his career across multiple franchises, most recently returning to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025.
Early Life and Background
Markieff Morris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 2, 1989. He grew up in a large family with four brothers, including his fraternal twin brother, Marcus Morris, who is seven minutes younger. The Philadelphia upbringing shaped Morris’s competitive personality and love for physical play. As a youth, he attended Prep Charter in Philadelphia and later APEX Academy in Pennsauken, New Jersey, where he continued to develop his basketball skills.
Morris emerged as a strong college prospect and was 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 path to the NBA was set by his strong high school resume and his family’s longstanding connection to the sport.
Path to Basketball
Morris enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he majored in American studies and played for the Kansas Jayhawks from 2008 to 2011. During his junior season in 2011, he was named second-team all-conference in the Big 12, cementing his status as one of the top frontcourt prospects in college basketball. He was also selected to the Fifth Team All-America by Fox Sports that same year.
Following the 2010–11 college season, Morris and his twin brother Marcus signed with a sports agent from Los Angeles and declared for the 2011 NBA draft. Their decision to enter the draft together reflected the close bond between the two brothers, who had trained and competed side by side for years. Markieff was selected 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns, while Marcus was drafted by the Houston Rockets five minutes later.
Markieff Morris Career
Early Career (2011–2016)
Morris began his professional career with the Phoenix Suns after being drafted in 2011. Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, his first Summer League appearance came in 2012, where he averaged 19.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He responded to that performance by adding 13 pounds of muscle, and by November 2012 he had earned his first start of the season. On January 8, 2012, he recorded his first professional double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks.
In February 2013, his twin brother Marcus was traded to the Phoenix Suns, reuniting the brothers on the same team for the first time in their NBA careers. They went on to become the first brothers ever to start alongside each other on the same team. Morris earned a Western Conference Player of the Week award in November 2013, and on September 29, 2014, he signed a multi-year contract extension with the Suns.
Washington Wizards Era (2016–2019)
On February 18, 2016, Morris was traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for DeJuan Blair, Kris Humphries and a 2016 Top-9 protected first-round draft pick. He debuted the next day against the Detroit Pistons, the team where his twin brother Marcus was playing, finishing with six points and two rebounds in 22 minutes. On February 29, 2016, Morris recorded his first double-double as a Wizard with 16 points and 13 rebounds in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Morris helped the Wizards reach the playoffs in 2017 as the No. 4 seed, and the team won its first Southeast Division title since 1978–79. On April 16, 2017, he scored 21 points in his NBA playoff debut as Washington defeated the Atlanta Hawks 114–107 in Game 1 of their first-round series. On February 7, 2019, Morris was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and was waived the following day.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2019)
On February 20, 2019, Morris signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, briefly joining the franchise for the remainder of the 2018–19 season. His stint in Oklahoma City was short, but it allowed him to remain active in the league before his next opportunity.
Detroit Pistons (2019–2020)
Morris signed with the Detroit Pistons on July 6, 2019. He played a depth role for the Pistons before agreeing to a buyout on February 21, 2020, clearing the way for him to join a contender.
Los Angeles Lakers Era (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. The Lakers advanced to the playoffs, and during the conference semifinals against Houston, Morris contributed 16 points off the bench in a Game 2 win. After the Lakers fell behind in the series, head coach Frank Vogel inserted Morris into the starting lineup in Game 3, and he remained a starter for the rest of the series, which Los Angeles won 4–1. The Lakers then won the 2020 NBA Finals in six games, giving Morris his first NBA 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 initiating an altercation by striking Nikola Jokić during a game against the Denver Nuggets on November 8, 2021. The collision led to a neck injury, and Morris was eventually diagnosed with whiplash. On March 11, 2022, he received medical clearance to return to playing.
Brooklyn Nets (2022–2023)
On September 7, 2022, Morris signed with the Brooklyn Nets, where he spent the early portion of the 2022–23 season before being part of a major trade that sent him to Dallas.
Dallas Mavericks Era (2023–2025)
Morris was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on February 6, 2023, alongside Kyrie Irving, 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, 2023. In 2024, Morris reached the NBA Finals with the Mavericks, where Dallas lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. He re-signed with the Mavericks again on September 11, 2024.
Return to the Lakers (2025)
On February 2, 2025, Morris was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Luka Dončić and Maxi Kleber in exchange for Max Christie, Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade marked his return to the franchise where he had won his only NBA championship in 2020. Morris resumed a veteran role in the Lakers’ frontcourt as the team pushed toward the playoffs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Morris won his first NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and reached the NBA Finals again with the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. On January 13, 2015, while playing for the Suns, he scored a career-high 35 points on 15-of-21 shooting in a 107–100 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2013, he became the first player since Yao Ming in 2002 to score at least 27 points and grab 15 rebounds off the bench. In February 2015, Morris and his brother Marcus, alongside teammates Goran and Zoran Dragić, became part of the first group in NBA history to include two different pairs of brothers playing on the same team at the same time.
Markieff Morris Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Markieff Morris is part of a large Philadelphia family that includes his twin brother, Marcus Morris, and three other brothers. The Morris twins grew up playing basketball together and have remained closely linked throughout their professional careers, including playing on the same team in Phoenix and reaching the NBA Finals within four years of each other.
Personal Life
Morris is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, while his brother Marcus supports the Philadelphia Eagles. He is nicknamed “Keef.” Morris and his wife, Thereza Wright-Morris, have a daughter. The Morris twins helped create the Family Over Everything Foundation, an organization that assists members of underserved communities in Philadelphia and other cities.
2025 Season Performance
Markieff Morris spent the early part of the 2024–25 season with the Dallas Mavericks before being traded back to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, 2025, in the blockbuster deal that also sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles. The trade reunited Morris with the franchise where he won his only NBA championship in 2020 and gave the Lakers another veteran forward in their rotation.
Following the trade, Morris served as a physical presence off the bench in the Lakers’ frontcourt. He provided depth behind the team’s primary big men and continued to be valued for his toughness, screen-setting, and defensive physicality. As the season progressed, the Lakers continued to compete in a tightly contested Western Conference playoff race, with Morris offering experience from his previous championship run.
Looking ahead, Morris is expected to remain an important locker-room voice and rotational piece for the Lakers as they aim to return to the NBA Finals. With his 2020 championship experience and physical style of play, he fits the mold of a veteran leader who can contribute in a defined role during the most competitive stretch of the 2025 NBA season.
