Tag: Anthony Morrow

Former Thunder player Nick Collison named special assistant to Sam Presti

Nick Collison received a promotion in the Thunder front office and fellow former OKC player Anthony Morrow will join the staff.

Nick Collison, who spent his entire playing career in the Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City Thunder organization before joining the Thunder’s front office, received a promotion, the team announced on Tuesday.

The longtime Thunder center was named special assistant to executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti.

Collison spent the last two seasons as basketball operations representative. He played 14 seasons with the organization, during which he averaged 5.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Another former Thunder player, Anthony Morrow, was also hired. He will be the lifestyle services and engagement associate, the press release said.

Morrow was on the Thunder for two-and-a-half seasons from 2014-17.

The two are among several former OKC players on staff. Eric Maynor is the Thunder player development coach, Nazr Mohammed is the general manager of the OKC Blue and a Thunder pro personnel evaluator and Mike Wilks is a Thunder assistant coach.

Anthony Morrow: Thunder’s Chris Paul ‘has been exceptional’ as a leader

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chris Paul has been a “point guard on the floor … (and) a point guard off the floor,” Anthony Morrow said.

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In an interview with The Oklahoman, former Oklahoma City Thunder player Anthony Morrow took the time to compliment point guard Chris Paul’s efforts in the NBA bubble.

“Chris has been exceptional, man,” Morrow said to the outlet. “He takes on a lot of responsibility. That’s who he is.”

Paul, as the president of the National Basketball Players Association, took on an integral role in helping to set up the bubble.

The union made clear that the ability and platform to speak about social justice reform would have to be available if the players were to agree to join the bubble, and that was approved by the league.

On Wednesday, players on six teams — including the Thunder — took a big step by going on strike and refusing to play in the games scheduled for that day.

The NBA responded by postponing the Wednesday and Thursday games.

The league’s Board of Governors met Thursday morning, and Paul spoke with Hornets owner Michael Jordan to discuss player demands.

“I’ve been knowing Chris since we were young, and he’s always been that kind of leader, that take-charge kind of guy,” Morrow said. “He’ll get under your skin to get the job done, and I respect that. And I respect how he’s handled all this. He’s not just a leader and a point guard on the floor, he’s a point guard off the floor.”

Morrow’s interview with The Oklahoman was expansive, ranging from if he would have played in the bubble to how he explained what is happening in the NBA to his 7-year-old son to his own thoughts on the societal issues.

“The only way that you’re going to wake this situation up and get real reform and real change is if these owners, specifically in cities that they have teams in, all come together and go to the politicians in those cities — the mayor, the sheriff’s department, chief of police,” he said.

“You gotta go to these people that have the power to make real change. You can’t just sit back and donate the money and say you did something for some foundation or organization.”

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Steph Curry talks why non-black people must speak up against injustice

Steph Curry is using his platform and voice to speak out on racial injustices such as the death of George Floyd.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry recognizes how important this past week has been for the future of America.

In the wake of George Floyd’s unjust death, Curry has spoken out on social media about his frustration surrounding Floyd’s death and systemic racial injustice.

He went on The Life Podcast recently with former Warrior guard Anthony Morrow and Justin Jack, and he emphasized how though the black community has done work to address injustices and racism, people outside of the community must find their voice and speak up.

“As the black community, the thing that we’re doing is using our voice, our platforms,” Curry said. “Everybody is activating in the streets and the community is trying to do the work, and everybody is playing their part. But until people outside of our community speak up, use their platform and actually get uncomfortable and feel some type of emotional change to the issues, then we’re just going to be in the same situation.”

Floyd died May 25 at the hands of the police in Minneapolis. The police were called to a store because of an alleged forgery. As former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on his neck, Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. 

Floyd was taken to the hospital on the evening of May 25, but he was “unresponsive and without a pulse” on the way to the hospital, per Liz Sawyer of the Star Tribune. 

With Curry speaking out, he is one of several players who have done so. LeBron James has also spoken out on social media, and Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Okogie and former Warrior wing Stephen Jackson also went to a rally in Minnesota to address Floyd’s wrongful death.

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Anthony Morrow reveals 1st text to Kevin Durant after joining Warriors

Most of Kevin Durant’s teammates were shocked to learn that he was leaving the Thunder to join the Warriors.

Depending on your perspective, trips down memory lane can sometimes be painful. For Anthony Morrow, such was the case.

Morrow was the latest to be featured in the Thunder Legacy Series, a project undertaken by The Oklahoman in which the publication catches up with some former member of the club to recount some of the team’s glory (and sadness) from years past.

Having been a member of the club for the three seasons from 2014-17, Anthony Morrow recalled what that experience was like for him with Joe Mussatto. Going up 3-1 against the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals was among the finest memories that the now-retired sharpshooter had of his time with the club.

He, like many of his former teammates, though, recalls being understandably surprised that Durant followed being so close to bringing the Thunder to the NBA Finals for a second time that he claimed to recall exactly what his first communication with the now two-time NBA Finals MVP was.

“When he left, I couldn’t believe it. I remember exactly where I was at. I was heading on the freeway to my house after leaving my dad’s house. I saw it, and then like eight people called me in a row. I just texted him and was like, ‘Man, I ain’t seen this one coming, but as long as you’re happy and your family’s happy, you made the decision that was best for you. This ain’t about no basketball. You’re my brother. I want you to be happy.’ In that moment he probably needed to hear that…”

Under the circumstances, Morrow could have felt “betrayed,” especially since he and Durant were said to have had been rather close during their overlap with the team. But instead of allowing emotions to ruin their relationship, Morrow did the opposite. It’s worth our respect.

Morrow himself was actually a bit surprised that the team’s fans reacted to Durant the way they did after his return for his first road game at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

“It was weird especially when he came back, the fan reaction, which I wasn’t surprised by. Our OKC fans, they hold themselves to a standard. They’re hurt, man. Kev was the first one. Russ came in and did what he did. It was a great run.”

Now retired and managing his own clothing company, Morrow did also mention that Russell Westbrook and Durant’s relationship seems to be mending and that, in the end, all would be well.

Fortunately for Durant, Morrow is at least one former member of the club who didn’t take his move personally.

Anthony Morrow thinks relationship between Durant, Westbrook will be mended

Anthony Morrow thinks Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will fix their relationship and speak at each other’s jersey retirements.

Anthony Morrow, with the Oklahoma City Thunder for two and a half seasons from 2014 to 2017, saw some of the highs and some of the lows of the organization.

In The Oklahoman’s Thunder legacy series, Morrow was asked if he thinks the relationship between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will ever be fixed.

Absolutely,” Morrow said to the outlet. “It’s already repairing faster than people realize.”

After Durant left the Thunder following the 2016 season, Westbrook became the sole face of the team.

“When (Durant) first left, I would see clips of (Westbrook’s) workouts,” Morrow said. “I’m looking at his body, I see him playing pickup in L.A., and I’m like, ‘He’s locked in. He’s gonna come back like a robot or something,’ and he did.”

Westbrook’s triple-double-fueled MVP season the following year led the Thunder to the playoffs through the city’s bitterness toward Durant’s decision to leave for the Golden State Warriors.

“They’re like brothers though. I think that relationship is definitely far more healed than I think people realize,” Morrow said.

He thinks it will be fixed sooner than later.

“When you look up one day, Russ is going to be speaking, and they’re going to be retiring Kevin’s jersey,” Morrow said. “One day.”

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