Advertisement
Advertisement
From DePaul to LSU: Aneesah Morrow's College Career and WNBA Prospects

Aneesah Morrow’s Journey: College Success and WNBA Future

Aneesah Morrow has not entered professional basketball or the WNBA yet. However, the young prospect has given hope to basketball fanatics across the world through her NCAA performance. It has firmed the belief in the minds of the hoopers that they can expect great things from her in the future. When she took a transfer from the DePaul University to the Louisiana State University’s collegiate program, there were expectations that the powerhouse of basketball, which also gave Angel Reese, like a player, might shadow her abilities.

However, she still stood out and continued to deliver despite the adaptability challenges apart from the on-court performance. She is currently enjoying her senior year at the LSU basketball program representing the Tigers team at the NCAA level. However, she might go for the 2025 WNBA Draft midseason if she decides to declare on her collegiate program and move further in her life and on the stairs of basketball progression. In the following piece, we will go through the future possibilities for the young prospect and the chances of them getting real.

Aneesah Morrow’s Rise in College Basketball

Dominating High School Basketball

Aneesah Morrow, like any other name in the world of basketball who has dominated the NCAA or WNBA scene earned the McDonald All-American honors during her high school basketball career. Being a Chicago-born and native for her life, she attended Simeon High School during her initial days of ball handling and learning days. However, she made sure to deliver the best during her learning days.

She led the high school team to their first state championship (Class 3A) in 2020. It came during her senior year at the high school. The win-loss record for the Simeon girls’ basketball team was even more progressive because it was 35-2 during Aneesah Morrow’s senior year. It was an overall electrifying performance from the young prospect, averaging 28.4 points, 14.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and about 3 steals per game.

Some of the highlight performances from Aneesah Morrow came against Maine South, where she tallied 41 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. Another impressive on-court performance from Morrow was against the Morgan Park team, dishing out 38 points and 25 rebounds.

From DePaul Dominance to New Challenges at LSU

Aneesah Morrow with Ball
Aneesah Morrow- Bleacher Report

Her freshman year at DePaul University in the 2021–22 season was a statement regarding her potential and what people could expect from her. Morrow took the women’s college basketball world by surprise as she started in all 30 of the games of her freshman year. It is quite rare for college basketball players to start in all the games during their freshman season. Aneesah averaged 21.9 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. Morrow not only led the nation in terms of rebounding and offensive rebounds per game but also earned the title of Big East Freshman of the Year.

One of the attention-grabbing highlights of Aneesah Morrow’s freshman year was her double-doubles under intense situations. She was already bold around the board, and her scoring ability just complemented her freshman fame.

In her sophomore season, Morrow did not falter from her consistency because she continued to average 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. This year, she focused more on scoring and contributing to the frontcourt rather than dominating the backcourt. Surprisingly, she did not let her rebounding stat get too low in comparison to her freshman season that proved her on-court excellence.

The achievements of Aneesah Morrow from DePaul can be summarised as following as per the DePaul’s site:

  • WBCA All-America Honorable Mention
  • USBWA, WBCA, and The Athletic National Freshman of the Year
  • ESPN Top Freshman in the Country
  • Naismith Trophy and World Exposure Report National Player of the Week
  • USBWA National Freshman of the Week a record five times
  • BIG EAST Player of the Week three times
  • BIG EAST Freshman of the Week a record 13 times
  • Set DePaul single season record for rebounds (457) and rebounding average 13.8)
  • Set BIG EAST single-game rebounding record with 27 at Seton Hall
  • John Wooden Player of the Year finalist
  • Naismith Trophy Player of the Year finalist
  • Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award finalist
  • Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Top 10 finalist
  • Led the nation in rebounds per game
  • BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, All-BIG EAST First Team and BIG EAST All-Freshmen Team (all unanimous by coaches voting)
  • Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team
  • DePaul Female Athlete of the Year (all sports)
  • DePaul Newcomer of the Year (all sports)
  • DePaul women’s basketball MVP
  • Shirley Becker Academic Award.

The 2023 season was more of an upgrade for Aneesah Morrow, as she wanted to get a new arc in her basketball career. That’s why the 6’1″ forward took the transfer to LSU to train under legendary coach Kim Mulkey and 2023 NCAA Champion Angel Reese. The transfer a big milestone in her basketball career as she got to move in with a team that had multiple accolades on national level. On top of that, Aneesah got to train with champions and future WNBA prospects.

Aneesah Morrow career
Aneesah Morrow- BVM Sports

While joining LSU, fans hoped that the new forward might face some setbacks during her first year with the LSU Tigers. Yet Aneesah continued to deliver because she got to start in 34 games, averaging 16.4 points per game. However, she does not get that many chances to score as the number of talented players on the team is much more than that of the DePaul team.

Aneesah Morrow Stats and Key Achievements

If we look at the stats of Aneesah Morrow’s basketball career, she focused more on the scoring and rebounding than anything. That’s why she wanted to do both of the important aspects of the game continuously.

  • Freshman Year (DePaul, 2021–22):
    • Points per game: 21.9
    • Rebounds per game: 13.8
    • Field goal percentage: 52.3%
    • Double-doubles: 27 (led the NCAA)
  • Sophomore Year (DePaul, 2022–23):
    • Points per game: 25.7
    • Rebounds per game: 12.2
    • Field goal percentage: 50.6%
    • Steals per game: 2.0
  • Junior Year (LSU, 2023–24):
    • Points per game: 16.4
    • Rebounds per game: 10.7
    • Assists per game: 1.7
  • Senior Year (LSU, 2024–25):
    • Points per game: 18.4*
    • Rebounds per game: 13.3*
    • Assists per game: 1.3*
      *(Stats updated as of midseason per LSU data)

The prime catch of Aneesah’s gameplay is to get hold of the offensive rebounds as much as possible. That’s why she was able to put her opponents under pressure in clutch situations. She is more of a ware person on the court who looks out for the mistakes that her opponents make during the play. It not enables her to grab the scoring opportunities but also get a hold of the steals during the game. It sets the opposition off their game and change the momentum of the game.

Comparison with Other Top Players

Aneesah Morrow had counterparts like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese during her collegiate career as rivals or the ones that she could compete with. However, both of her rivals entered the WNBA game a year ago and are making headlines in the world of professional basketball. That’s why the comparison might not necessarily be on an equal level, but Aneesah has her own significance in the world of basketball. She is more of an all-round player than Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

Aneesah Morrow and Angel Reese
Aneesah Morrow and Angel Reese- Twitter

Angel Reese is more focused on rebounding and no doubt excels on that end in the WNBA as well. Similarly, Clark is good at playmaking and scoring. However, she is not as impact as Aneesah Morrow around the paint. Also, Aneesah has more scoring delivery than Angel Reese. Therefore, Aneesah Morrow stands in a class of her own when it comes to basketball.

Memorable Games

The Seton Hal performance of Aneesah Morrow stands out as one of the best that she gave out in 2022. She dished out about 41 points and 18 rebounds during her milestone performance. Another spotlight that Morrow got was after joining LSU. It was her debut performance, where she tallied 28 points and 15 rebounds in her first game for the LSU. It confirmed to the hoop fanatics that Aneesah was ready to make her mark atthe SEC tournament.

WNBA Draft 2025: Why Aneesah Morrow Is a Top Contender

As the 2025 WNBA Draft approaches, Aneesah Morrow is firmly in the conversation as a top pick. Her unique combination of skills, leadership, and work ethic make her an ideal prospect for the professional game.

Ability to Score

She is known as a well-rounded threat offensively because of her ability to score near the basket, in mid-range, and beyond the three-point line. She can just as easily post up defenders as take a mid-range shot. Scoring at crucial moments has defined her career.

Skill in Defending

Morrow is likely to alter the game completely at the defensive end. Because of her quick reflexes and physical attributes, she is able to guard multiple positions effectively. Her strength is in contesting shots near the basket and reacting quickly to loose balls, which makes her a destructive force to overcome by enemy teams.

Ability to Adapt and Perform across Multiple Situations.

Her ability to play multiple positions increases her potential value. At 6-foot-1, she’s nimble enough to defend perimeter players yet strong enough for post-play. Versatile players fill multiple roles, so this has great importance for a league like the WNBA.

Leadership and Qualities That Cannot Be Measured Quantitatively.

Morrow’s leadership may sometimes be overlooked, but it is among her finest qualities. She decided to attend LSU, which showed she was ready to take on some new challenges and collaborate. She is a consistent role model because of her work ethic, preparation, and intensity to win.

Comparing Her to Other Possible Contenders

Morrow stands out as one of the toughest and most complete in terms of her two-way ability compared to other highly touted WNBA Draft prospects like Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. Bueckers may be known as a great playmaker, while Reese may be known for her rebounding ability. However, Morrow actually has the ability to succeed in virtually every aspect of the game.

What Lies Ahead for Aneesah Morrow?

Aneesah Morrows’s current college basketball endeavors lead her toward a very bright WNBA future ahead. With her versatility, skill, and leadership, she possesses all the prerequisites to become that dominant force in the professional arena.

Will Aneesah Morrow bring her college-level success onto the WNBA stage? It can be a yes to the question in the mind of the hoopers because Aneesah did deliver well in college. However, like LSU, the WNBA will reduce her playing time, so her stats might sound impressive, but her impact will be more sonic.

All we can do is hope that Aneesah Morrow will be the next big thing like Angel and Caitlin in the WNBA. Whether she is grabbing rebounds, making crucial shots, or just setting a good example for her team, her performance is sure to draw you in.

Everyone will be watching closely as this rookie enters the 2025 WNBA Draft. Considering her college days, Aneesah Morrow is likely to shine in her pro career as well.