The Story of Alexis Morris, A True LSU Tiger

Morris beat the odds, persevered and has helped catapult the Tigers to their first Final Four appearance since 2008.

Alexis Morris never imagined she would be in this position. The journey has taken her all over the country, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Morris started her career off at Baylor under Kim Mulkey. It was supposed to be a picturesque pairing for Morris, the top point guard in her class, where the two would continue building a dynasty in Waco.

It certainly didn’t go as planned.

Morris was dismissed from the program where her basketball journey took her all over. From Baylor to Rutgers, from Rutgers to Texas A&M, from Texas A&M to LSU. There’s beauty in the struggle and Morris is a prime example of that.

It wasn’t as simple as picking up and transferring schools for Morris. There were times of reflection. There were moments of doubt. The All-SEC First Team guard beat the odds, did her time and is shining for the Tigers after pushing through those times.

“At one point when I left Rutgers, I wasn't even going to play basketball anymore,” Morris said. “So this moment is literally everything to me. I am the comeback kid. I went through so much adversity. The world counted me out. Media writing bad posts, portraying this image of me. Now I can just let it all go. I beat it. I beat the odds.”

The Journey To This Point

Morris is a fighter. She’s scrappy. She’s tenacious. But she’s also as caring and passionate of a hooper as there is. You see it on the court. For the electric point guard to make it this far is a product of hard work, prayer and fight.

“It's everything I asked for,” Morris said. “I remember when I was at Rutgers and I left Rutgers. And I went to spend some time with a friend in Reno, Nevada. And I remember I was at a park. Every morning I would get up early to go work on my game, because I didn't know if I was going to continue playing basketball. I remember asking God: ‘If you gave me another opportunity to be in a similar position that I was in my freshman year, that I would never self-sabotage.’ And you're just seeing a product of pain, a product of relentlessness, a product of tenacity. I just never gave up on myself. And I advise anybody who is going through anything -- it doesn't have to be basketball-wise. It could be life, school, just keep persevering.”

Mulkey’s Impact, Expectations

It all came full circle for Morris. From starting her career with Mulkey to ending it with her first-year head coach. It’s surreal for the superstar guard, but it’s all “God’s Plan” in getting here.

Morris detailed how Coach Mulkey continues to get the best out of her players and keeps them locked in on the task at hand, never getting above the moment. The expertise is what has propelled the Tigers to their first Final Four appearance since 2008.

“One thing I haven't seen change about her is her will to win, how she pushes us and gets the best out of us. Never let us get the big head. She was definitely way more feisty when I was a freshman [at Baylor],” Morris said. “She's never going to lower her expectations for nobody. She doesn't really care how good you are. She has an expectation that she requires us to meet, and I think that's why we were able to elevate and do things that we sometimes don't even think that we can do.”

Homecoming

Morris is a Texas baby. She’s back home where her basketball journey started and she’s looking forward to ending her college run in Dallas too.

It means everything for Morris to make it to this point as she looks to put an exclamation point on a miraculous journey.

“Everything, my journey, everything I've been through with this sport. I love this game,” Morris said. “I'm just happy to be able to do it with Coach Mulkey and my teammates and for this program and the people who came before us. I said it and just spoke it into existence. God did. Texas, I'm coming home, baby.”

The Leadership Factor

This team has their share of superstars. Headlined by All-American Angel Reese and SEC Freshman of the Year Flau’jae Johnson, it’s easy to overlook what Morris has done for this program.

When the going gets tough, this team feeds off of their point guard. When the lights are brightest, Morris shows up. She doesn’t care about the glitz or glamor of it all. She’s taken on the leadership role for this program and understands what needs to be done on a nightly basis to get the most out of this team.

“Just being a leadership piece for the team, having that experience, having Coach Mulkey believe in me and push me. Because sometimes being a leader is hard. Having to be the bad guy sometimes and the pressure, the responsibility, sometimes it's really tough. I've embraced it this year, and it's honoring, and it's paid off,” Morris said.

New Goals

After Senior Night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Morris detailed how she wants her real Senior Night to be in Dallas at the Final Four. She wanted to celebrate in front of her friends and family in Texas.

Morris has made it to her final destination. It’s now or never. With a goal of making it this far, there’s a new one in mind: win a national championship.

“I'm super excited. I've changed my goal now. I'm in Dallas. Now I want to have my senior night on Sunday. My focus has shifted. I know my team's focus is the same as mine,” Morris said.