Whoa nelly.
After Kam sank his second game-winner of the season Monday night at the Kohl Center, it reminded me of a similar shot Gonzaga's Adam Morrison hit this past Saturday against Oklahoma State.
Then I looked in my closet and saw a green Celtics shirt. I soon had a vision. Would Kammron bolt after this year and be drafted by the Celtics? Couldn't be. Is Adam Morrison the next Larry Bird? Quite possibly.
Look at the similarities...
1) Their supporting cast
Though Gonzaga is a legitimate, well-coached team, Morrison is the backbone. The same holds true for Bird, whose teammates at Indiana State were little more than role players.
2) Slow white guys
Clearly, this is the primary reason why people initially make this comparison. Morrison stands 6'8\ 205 pounds while Bird, in his playing day, measured in at 6'9"" 220. Eerily similar. These guys don't look like the most intimidating players on the floor, but their understanding of the game and fundamentals make up for their lack of athleticism.
Likewise, both are a far cry from lock-down defenders. But like all great scorers, it's OK to take a few plays off on the defensive end. Both were never as poor as former Milwaukee Buck Glenn Robinson (score 21, give up 29) but neither possess the ability to be a force on the defensive end of the floor.
3) Let it rain
Morrison's range seemingly starts when he enters the gym. While he may not be the best pure-shooter at the college level (cue in J.J. Redick), no one is better at creating his own shot off the dribble than Morrison.
This is a carbon copy of how Bird played the game. He, like Morrison, had the ability to not only knock down the open shot, but shoot off the dribble.
Bird averaged 30 points and 17 rebounds per game during his senior year. In one particular game, Bird scored 54 points with 38 rebounds. Morrison is currently leading the nation in scoring at 28.5 points per game and scored 43 points twice already this year. He has a legitimate shot at matching Bird's final season.
4) He's a fresh face, sort of
I have no problem saying Bird and Morrison are two of the more unattractive people that garner a great deal of camera time. Bird's appearance and drawl acquired from French Lick Ind. mesh nicely with Morrison's attempts to mirror Che Guevara.
I'm not sure if Adam lost a bet before the season started, but I applaud his attempt to bring back the moustache.
Bird himself also enjoyed a little facial hair above the lip in his early days. While Morrison is currently struggling to see full-growth in his first month, Bird was able to grow just enough to resemble a 1970's porn star/pedophile during his time with the 'stache. Either way, sporting that look on national TV is heroic.
5) A similar enemy come March?
We all know the 1979 NCAA Championship game that pitted Indiana State against Michigan, or more appropriately put, Bird versus Magic. That began the rivalry that carried over to their days in the NBA (and the hand-held video game).
Does Morrison have a common foe? Again, a Redick/Morrison shoot-out in the later rounds of the tourney would be ideal, but in order to best replicate the Bird/Magic history (Redick will be an average NBA player at best) you might turn to UConn's Rudy Gay to set up a future battle.
While Magic revolutionized the game and the point guard position with the Lakers, Gay, in his own right, can do a little bit of everything and would most likely leave for the NBA after this season, entering the league just like Bird and Magic did together.
Is Adam Morrison the best player in college basketball this year? Yes.
Is it both easy and tempting to label him the next Larry Bird? Of course.
Will he turn out to play at the next level like this column would have you believe? I want to believe so.
But if all that fails to happen, he's got a sweet mustache to begin any new endeavours with.
