The Game is mourning after the deceased body of his cousin, former Los Angeles Laker Darius Morris, was discovered in L.A. on Thursday (May 2). He was just 33 years old. According to TMZ Sports, an official cause of death hasn’t been confirmed, although his family shared a statement.
“With great sadness we announce the passing of our dearly beloved son, Darius Aaron Morris,” it read. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
The Game followed up with an Instagram post, sharing two photos of Morris, one of which was taken on the court alongside the late Kobe Bryant. He wrote, “My family took a blow with this one. Rest well lil cousin. You achieved your childhood dreams & did what you always said you would. We got Auntie Robyn.”
A Carson, California native, Morris had a stellar high school basketball career that took him to the University of Michigan, where he earned third-team all-Big Ten Conference his sophomore season. He spent two seasons with the Michigan Wolverines. While playing for the 2010-11 team, he was the Big Ten assists leader and set the Michigan single-season assist record at the time.
Morris was selected as the 41st pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and played the point guard position. Healso played for the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA as well as the Los Angeles D-Fenders and Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-League. With the Vipers, he established a D-League playoff single-game assists record in 2014.
After the NBA, Morris spent multiple seasons playing overseas in China, Russia and France.
