Marcus and Markieff Morris relaunch FOE basketball camp, adding another hometown touchpoint: ‘We represent Philly’
Everything is important. We have our bookbag drive every year. We do stuff around Christmas, all the holidays. So it’s just natural," Marcus said.
Markieff and Marcus Morris spend the offseason in a beautiful gated community in South Florida.
The twin brothers have generational wealth and other benefits associated with long-standing NBA careers. But the 34-year-olds are determined to remain visible influences in their old stomping ground.
“Obviously, everybody knows who we are, and we represent Philly,” Marcus said Wednesday.
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That’s why the North Philly natives cofounded the Family Over Everything Foundation, which provides youth programs in underserved communities. They relaunched their FOE basketball camp on Wednesday and Thursday at the Salvation Army Kroc Center on Wissahickon Avenue.
“We were having it for so long. It’s just the pandemic slowed it down,” said Marcus, who played for the 76ers this past season before being traded to San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 8. “But everything is important. We have our book bag drive every year. We do stuff around Christmas, all the holidays. So it’s just natural. We just want to get back to doing it because we took off for a couple of years.”
The Morris twins and camp counselors, including Sixers All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey on Thursday, put players through skill development training and other activities to benefit their games. Campers also received camp T-shirts.
While this year’s camp was in an intimate setting, the goal is to expand over the next couple years.
Considering their long history of giving back, that shouldn’t be a problem for the Morris twins.
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Because of their long-standing charitable efforts, City Council unanimously passed a resolution to celebrate the Morris twins’ contributions to their hometown. While Markieff was unable to attend, Marcus was honored on their behalf on Jan. 11 during a ceremony at City Hall.
“It means a lot,” Markieff said of the honor. “For us, we’re not looking for recognition. We do everything out of our hearts. Everything we do is genuine. But it just meant a lot to be recognized by the city, you know, to be recognized by somewhere you are from. I don’t think you can get a bigger honor than that. It just shows a lot of the stuff we are doing is not taken for granted by certain people.
“Obviously, I said, we are not doing it for recognition. I wasn’t there [in person], but I was able to feel the love in the room.”
The Morris twins led Prep Charter to two PIAA Class AA state championships. Afterward, they spent a year at Apex Academy in Pennsauken before becoming standouts at Kansas.
Markieff was selected 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2011 NBA draft. Marcus was taken one spot later by current Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who then served as Houston Rockets general manager.
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Marcus has averaged 12.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 832 career games with the Rockets, Suns, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Sixers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Markieff, meanwhile, has career averages of 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 776 games with the Suns, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Dallas Mavericks. He won a 2020 NBA title with the Lakers.
Both brothers are free agents. So where might they land? Marcus and the Sixers have mutual interest in reuniting this summer via free agency. Meanwhile, Markieff is expected to re-sign with the Mavericks.