Cause of Death for Ex-Laker Released to Public

The cause of death of this former Laker guard has been released.

Dec 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guards Darius Morris (1) and Kobe Bryant (24) celebrate at the end of the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Bobcats 101-100. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The cause of death of former Los Angeles Lakers guard Darius Morris has been released. According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, Morris died of heart disease, with drugs and alcohol playing a role, per ABC 7 News.

Morris passed away on May 4. He was 33. The cause of death was released Friday. The medical examiners stated he died of coronary artery atherosclerosis, also known as coronary heart disease.

The Carson native was a former Laker draft pick in 2011, selected in the second round with the No. 41 overall pick. He attended Michigan from 2009-2011 and was named Thirs-team All-Big Ten in 2011.

Morris was a Laker for two seasons, averaging 3.6 points per game, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 40 percent from the field and 35 percent from behind the arc.

Following his tenure with the Lakers, he bounced around the league, with stints on the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Brooklyn Nets. Fowling his final NBA season in 2015, he jumped from the Chinese Basketball Association to the G League and back overseas to play in Europe.

He last played professional basketball in 2020. Morris is, unfortunately, just one of multiple former Lakers to pass away as of late, most notably 14-time All-Star guard and later championship-winning general manager Jerry West, who passed away on Wednesday. He was 86.

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