DALLAS — Alexis Morris and Kim Mulkey’s relationship could have been fractured for good. After being dismissed from Baylor by Mulkey in 2018, Morris began a journey that had her in four schools in four years — and eventually back to Mulkey.
“When I dismissed Alexis from Baylor, it was just a coach’s decision, one of those tough ones you have to make,” Mulkey said. “It wasn’t like you didn’t love her … but it was the right decision. Not just for my team at Baylor at the time; it was the right decision for that young lady.”
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On Friday night, together, they made history by advancing LSU to its first national championship game with a 79-72 victory against Virginia Tech. The Tigers, who are in their second season under Mulkey, will face No. 2 seed Iowa on Sunday in Dallas for the title. Against Virginia Tech, Morris supplied a game-high 27 points.
Arriving at this stage together was a full-circle moment for Morris and Mulkey. “When I got the LSU job, she wanted to come back,” Mulkey said. Morris needed Mulkey back in her life — her discipline, her tough love, her direction. And Mulkey was ready to coach her again.
“She’s not one of those kids that, when they leave, you go, good riddance,” Mulkey said. “She’s one of those that just was immature, and she has owned her mistakes and is a better person because of it, and now she’s being rewarded.”
Morris’ story features a collegiate career that has taken her from Baylor to Rutgers, then Texas A&M to LSU, with troubling times and later triumphs. She was arrested for a reported assault charge that led to Mulkey dismissing her from Baylor. She has said she almost quit basketball at one point. Now, the fifth-year senior point guard has one more game left.
“It’s bittersweet that I have to leave, but it’s like I’d rather leave on top than compared to anything,” Morris said. “If you know me, I’m never satisfied. I’m super excited that we won, but I’m hungry; I’m greedy. I want to win it all so I can complete the story and complete the comeback. I’ve been through so much, so much that you all don’t even know.”
Morris said she plans to write a book and make a documentary about her life. She wants to be a mentor, maybe coach one day.
“I feel like I have a lot of wisdom from my experiences that I’m willing to share and help somebody else,” she said.
Mulkey never lowered her expectations for Morris. She said Morris never tried to blame others, including Mulkey, for her issues.
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“How many athletes do you know tell the truth like that?” Mulkey said. “That’s why she should write a book, because she owned her mistake and she just kept clawing to get out of it.”
Mulkey said Morris’ abilities should make a WNBA team draft her.
“She’s lightning quick; her defensive pressure got us back in the game,” Mulkey said.”She’s one of the best players in the nation.” Teammates call her the heartbeat of the team. Reese, who transferred to LSU this year from Maryland, combined with Morris for 51 points Friday night.
“You admire what she does,” Reese said. “She’s the comeback kid. She came back from everything, and she’s done everything they said she couldn’t do.”
Morris, who is from Beaumont, Texas, wants to become a role model. “I just hope I’m empowering the youth and showing them you can choose the right way instead of the wrong path,” she said. “Hopefully the kids in the younger generation can look to me and think, I can be somebody.”
Basketball, which she calls her playground, has been her foundation. “Everybody has their thing. This is my escape. This is my arcade. This is my maze,” she said. “Basketball has taught me a lot of life lessons. I’ve been able to find my identity away from the court when I was away from the sport. Basketball has put me in a position to bridge gaps, and I’m very fortunate for that, for those experiences.”
As she prepares for her last collegiate game, Morris understands her story is still being written and with any luck, it will end with the ultimate prize.
“I have bigger goals,” Morris said. “It still hasn’t hit me. Maybe if we’re the standing champions at the end, then maybe I can just let go and just be like, ahh, relief.”
(Photo of Alexis Morris: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
Dorothy J. Gentry writes about the WNBA and women's college basketball for The Athletic and other media outlets. She also covers the NBA for several national media outlets and is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers of America and the NABJ Sports Task Force. Follow Dorothy J. on Twitter @dorothyjgentry
