Catching up with former New Jersey Nets favorite Anthony Morrow
By Ben Stinar
Although he only played two seasons for the New Jersey Nets, Anthony Morrow cemented himself as a beloved figure in franchise history. Hoops Habit recently caught up with him.
Anthony Morrow spent just two seasons with the New Jersey Nets from 2010-12, but he gave everything he had in those two years. He was one of the few bright spots during the Nets’ last two forgettable campaigns in New Jersey, before the franchise moved to Brooklyn for the start of the 2012-13 season.
This year, after spending the preseason with the Portland Trail Blazers, Morrow was waived and for the first time more than 20 years, took time away from basketball to reflect on his career, including his time with the Nets.
Being out of the NBA did not discourage the nine-year NBA vet, however.
"“I’ve been working out,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll play somewhere next season, if not in the league, then overseas.”"
The free time has enabled him to focus on doing productive things off the court, like spending time with his four kids, A’Niyah, Kaeden, Amiri and Malachi.
Kids and basketball are the most important things in his life, but they’re not the only things. Morrow is a very busy man. His foundation, The Anthony Morrow Foundation, does a lot of good work within the community.
"“I have been doing a lot of stuff with my foundation, my Anthony Morrow foundation, for homeless people and single parents,” he said. “That’s what I hang my hat on.”"
This new free time has also allowed him to concentrate on his clothing line, “Sense of Style,” and his podcast, “The Life,” with his co-host Justin Jack, the brother of former Brooklyn Nets guard Jarrett Jack.
Morrow remembers his short tenure with the Nets well. Starting his career with the Golden State Warriors, he thought he would spend his entire career in there.
"“I was upset when I left Golden State because of the whole transition,” he said. “I get ingrained into the community I play in.”"
During the summer of 2010, he signed with the Nets.
The Nets were one of many teams hoping to land LeBron James, and any other superstar that would join. When James took his talents to South Beach, the Nets signed Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar and Johan Petro.
While it was a disappointment to most Nets fans that they could not land a big name with the cap space they had at the time, the money had to go somewhere. Morrow signed a three-year deal worth $12 million. For him, it was a more money than he could’ve ever dreamed of.
"“I got my first lucrative deal,” Morrow recalled. “No one from where I am from makes it here.”"
He moved to Edgewater, New Jersey, a place that was foreign to him.
"“I went to Jersey, I had never been up north like that in my life,” he said. “I had only been there to play the Knicks and the Nets. I’m from the south, it kind of helped me grow up, I got cultured.”"
For a 25-year-old from the south, the Tri-state area took some getting used to.
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"“I had to learn how to deal with New Jersey and New York people,” he said. “They’re not rude, it’s just how they treat each other.”"
The Charlotte native didn’t let his new contract get to his head after getting to New Jersey. He was so used to competing in NBA Summer League that he didn’t really know what an offseason was.
"“I used to come back to Jersey by myself in June, since I was used to going to Summer League.”"
That same hard work left a lasting impression on a coaching legend. He recalls an interaction from years prior with Don Nelson, the head coach during his tenure with the Warriors.
"“I had just played Summer League and Don Nelson comes up to me and says, ‘We see you going to the gym at 2 in the morning, chill out.'”"
The problem was, hard work was all he knew.
"“I didn’t go out, what else was there to do? This is my life,” he said."
That was on a minimum deal in Golden State. Even with his massive pay raise, it was no coincidence similar interactions were had with then Nets head coach, Avery Johnson.
"“Avery used to walk in the gym in the evening and see me after practice, and say to go home. ‘I know you’re working on your game, but go home and get rest.'”"
The 2010-11 NBA season was Morrow’s best season as an NBA player, as he averaged 13.2 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from 3-point range (the seventh-highest 3-point percentage in Nets history).
New team. Nice contract. But there was also a second-year player in Terrence Williams who wanted to take his spot. Morrow did not let it bother him; in fact, he took the second-year player under his wing.
"“Terrence was crazy, but I love him,” Morrow said. “Him listening to me as an older guy, we were in the same age bracket, but I said to him, ‘I don’t care who starts.’ I told him, ‘You will make way more money than I will.’ We would hang out, go to each other’s houses.”"
There were other teammates he loved in New Jersey. Morrow knew MarShon Brooks when Brooks was in high school. Brook Lopez was another, even running into him in the airport recently.
In Morrow’s first season with the Nets, he also witnessed the blockbuster trade for Deron Williams.
"“D-Will was great. All I knew was his basketball IQ was through the roof, and I had never played with someone as a point guard like that other than Jarrett Jack at Georgia Tech. His IQ was through the roof. I felt like he could do anything he wanted on the court. He would always make the right play.”"
Deron Williams, a superstar point guard, brought a new vibe to the lifeless team at the time.
"“I remember our team just changed, everything became him.”"
As for what happened to Deron Williams after that season, like most, Morrow isn’t sure.
"“I don’t know what happened after I left. I think it was something personal with him after I left.”"
On Feb. 3, 2012, Morrow’s hard work was put on full display at the Prudential Center, as he scored a career-high 42 points and made eight 3-pointers in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Newark.
"“Man, I felt like I was playing with my homies back in Charlotte,” he said."
The presence Morrow alluded to Deron Williams having on the team was in full effect that night too.
"“Shoutout to Deron Williams, he was like, ‘Man, I am coming to you the rest of the game.’ I wanted to score 50 and call my mom.”"
While Morrow did not quite score 50, it was still the best performance of his NBA career.
After just his second season in New Jersey, Morrow was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in a blockbuster move that landed the Nets an All-Star in Joe Johnson. While it would be easy for fans to forget about Morrow because of their newly acquired star, the appreciation Morrow had from Nets fans ran deep.
"“I did not realize the respect I had from the Nets fans until after I left,” he said."
He later on gained that same respect from Oklahoma City Thunder fans in another place where he found a home for a couple of years.
Every team that has Morrow for more than one season seems to fall in love with the shooting guard who leaves everything he’s got out on the floor every night. He’s always carried that mentality with him, and it will undoubtedly give him success wherever he lands next season.
Next: The 50 greatest NBA players of all time (updated, 2016-17)
"“I would rather have a family member or a coach tell me to relax rather than to work harder.”"