National champion Alexis Morris gets star treatment at hometown celebration

The Legacy Christian Academy graduate, who was named a high school All-American athlete and 2017 state champion, was part of the history-making team that clinched the women’s NCAA tournament title April 2 after defeating Iowa 102 – 85.

It was LSU’s first national championship win, and Morris was not only a part of that victory, she was a big part, scoring 21 points with 9 assists.

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As one post-game commentator said of Morris’ performance: “It was typical Alexis Morris – fourth quarter clutch.”

That ‘never say die’ attitude is something Morris attributes to her start on Beaumont’s city basketball courts.

“In my neighborhood, it was all one-on-ones,” Morris said. It was where she earned her chops, learning to play tough.

When her father, Raymond Morris – the only person to ever beat her in a one-on-one game, she said – took her to the Sterling Pruitt Center in their north end neighborhood, Morris stopped watching the men play and started playing them herself.

In high school, playing against only girls seemed almost too easy, she said, especially among the smaller field of talent in Legacy’s 2A TAPPS classification.

But that experience laid the groundwork for Morris’ success. It was there she was named an All-American athlete and state champion in 2017. It led to her joining first Baylor, then Rutgers and Texas A&M before arriving at LSU’s program and persevering to achieve the accolades Morris is enjoying today.

Through all that, she’s never forgotten where she came from, and Saturday, the city made sure Morris knows they’ll never forget her either.

Councilman Samuel Audwin – who represents the north end ward – read from a city proclamation announcing April 8 as “Alexis Morris Day.”

Mayor Robin Mouton then presented Morris with a key to the city, so that she would always remember she will always be “welcomed back to the city with open arms.”

That’s an invitation Mouton extended to the members of the Timberwolves, who she said, like Morris, have helped put “Beaumont on the map” in the national sports spotlight.

The Beaumont United Timberwolves were also celebrated during Saturday's event. They were featured on ESPN highlights and recently took part in a national championship competition on the heels of their 2023 state title appearance.

“We are so proud of our young men, and of Alexis,” Mouton told the crowd before bestowing each with their proclamations. “Beaumont is always your home.”

Dr. Amira Rose Davis, Morris’ cousin, expressed the family’s pride, saying, “We honor the accomplishments and legacy of the gem of our family. Together, our family through you has made history. Alexis is a living example of ‘manifesting your dream.’ Anything can happen when you believe in yourself.”

And believing in herself is something Morris has had to do all her life.

“My journey hasn’t always been pretty,” Morris acknowledged, but she “perseveres and fights through adversity.”

After a brief Easter holiday with family, Morris will be at the WNBA draft on Monday.

“Declaring for the WNBA draft has always been a dream of mine,” Morris said. “I worked so hard to be a first rounder, so when I got that call from the WNBA commissioner, it felt great.”

And going pro will help Morris achieve another goal – helping her mom and whole family achieve a better (financial) position.

“Growing up here made me hungry as a kid (to succeed),” Morris said, and after LSU’s victory, she’s primed for that and more.

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Regardless of what the future holds, Morris is already part of a groundbreaking achievement that goes beyond basketball.

She’s part of a movement that has propelled women’s athletics to an unprecedented high.

“We had 9 million followers watching women’s games – that’s the highest in history – and to be a part of that is awesome,” Morris said. “I only see it growing from here.”

And that makes her message to young female athletes all the more poignant.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. You can do it. I am you. You are me. We’re in it together,” she said.

Morris’ words extended beyond youth and girls to the Beaumont United players who gathered at Saturday’s celebration – stars in their own right, like Kayde Dotson, Weston Davis, Clarence Paiya and more.

Though they didn’t win the 2023 state title, Morris applauded their achievements and had the same message for them as she has for others.

“This isn’t an easy place to make it out of.  I want to be an inspiration to other young kids,” Morris said.

Those children flocked to Morris Saturday night, with balls and t-shirts to be signed. Most just wanted to shake her hand and get a photo with a national champion on the cusp of going pro.

Stacey Lewis, Jr., wants to take the accolades one step further.

He told Morris she is “the most decorated Beaumont female athlete since Babe Zaharias,” and that he’s petitioned the city to rename the court and gymnasium at Sterling Pruitt in Morris’ honor.

“They’re going to build a new court anyway, so this was perfect timing” for the city to honor one of its own, who got her start on that very court in that very gym, he said.

Morris nearly teared up when Lewis told her about the initiative.

That and Saturday’s celebration “lets me know how important I am to this city, and this city is important to me. This is monumental,” Morris said. “All the love and support feels so real.”

“I’ve been so overwhelmed the last few weeks,” even before the WNCAA tournament began, Morris said.

There were long and lonely hours working hard toward her hoop dreams, “But it’s all been worth it,” Morris said.

Since winning, “my life has changed tremendously in the last 72 hours.” She and teammates have gone from being names on a college roster to names talked about on a national level right up to the White House. Her social media has exploded. “It’s a dream come true,” she said.

Morris’ immediate dream is a spot on the WNBA roster - where she hopes to play alongside star Candace Parker, who Morris says “is epic. She’s an inspiration to me.” But her dreams aren’t limited to the basketball court.

“In the next five years I see myself as a WNBA champ, but also having a charity foundation and giving back to my community,” Morris said. “I want to continue to use basketball as a gateway to other opportunities and growing as a young professional.”

Morris off the court, much like Morris on the court, just wants to give as good as she gets.

And that means never forgetting where she came from and how she can be the inspiration for another hometown girl or boy.

“My love for the game started in Beaumont,” Morris said. “This isn’t about me. This is bigger than me.”

kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com

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