Earlier this month, former LSU women’s basketball national champion and second-round 2023 WNBA draft pick Alexis Morris had some choice words about the league and its veteran players after being cut by the Connecticut Sun. She seemed to suggest she wanted the league to expand, but she made calls for veteran players to retire.
On Thursday, she clarified herself and apologized for her words.
“To the veterans of the WNBA, please accept my sincerest apologies, Morris wrote on Instagram. “I never thought joining the W family would be easy, but now I understand just how hard it is to do that. My energy would have been better served directed toward league executives who have a say in expansion and other logistics.
“I look forward to celebrating your individual and collective careers and giving you all the flowers you deserve. I hope you can empathize and find it in your hearts to forgive me. I will continue to work hard in hopes of joining you all one day soon.
“To fans of the WNBA, I apologize to you as well. Please don’t let this mistake be a representation of our league or as an indictment against my character moving forward. I ask for your forgiveness and support as I attempt to raise more awareness about some of the issues the league is facing. It needs your support now more than ever. While I’m one of many to be affected by recent cuts, I understand that the issue is bigger than me.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Csq56gZst6Z/
During Sun training camp, Morris discussed how difficult the transition from college to professional basketball is and urged university coaches to better prepare their players for what lies ahead.
“This is for the colleges and institutions: In order to grow the league, you have to prep the players for what’s to come,” Morris said. “In order to do that, you have to watch the league, you have to see the style of play, the systems that they’re running so that the adjustment and the transition for women college players to the WNBA won’t be so difficult.”
While the way in which Morris called out the WNBA was direct, to say the least, her thoughts on expansion and better preparing players for the college-to-professional pipeline resonated with many. The WNBA has 144 roster spots for players, and the talent is clearly outpacing the roster capacity.
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