Twins' growth is surprising to watch

Morris twins(Pic:hoopchina)

A window into why the development of Kansas basketball's Morris twins was the best story of 2009 in KU sports:

When I first met Marcus and Markieff Morris, it was late May 2008 and they were showing me around their native Philadelphia with their mother, Angel. Honestly, I couldn't take my eyes off the 6-foot-8 Marcus and 6-foot-9 Markieff. I was struck by their obvious connection to one another -- many twins share an intense connection, but it was immediately clear that Marcus and Markieff could not function without the other.

They lived in their own world with their own language, not revealing much to an outsider. Conversations with them were a struggle, but you could easily glean this: The twins considered themselves the two best ballers in Philly, and yet they didn't have much of a clue about what would be expected of them in college. They often talked about their three-point shooting but rarely about defense and rebounding.

Angel would be moving to Lawrence with them, and I wasn't sure whether that would hurt or help their assimilation. The three had shared an unbreakable bond -- would they let anybody else in?

A disappointing start didn't help their cause. Within a few months of being on campus, the twins took a hit to their reputation when Markieff was accused of firing an airsoft BB gun from his dorm room window and hitting a woman. Then, on the court, KU fans revolted against their lack of energy and inconsistency during the first half of the season. Certainly, there was a lack of understanding from all sides.

But something clicked with the twins in January. They got their legs under them, and they were the best players on the floor during a win at Baylor. The rest of the year, they were passable big men, and they began to open themselves up to the outside world a little bit. It turned out that Marcus was one of the funnier players on the team.