Why does Marcus Morris have 'Sr' on his jersey, the only NBA player to do so?

Marcus Morris Sr. played a key role in the LA Clippers’ closely-fought win against their more illustrious rivals, the LA Lakers. The veteran forward finished with 14 points and did a fantastic job of holding LeBron James to only seven points while guarding him.

One of the most intriguing things fans notice about Morris is the name on the back of his jersey. It has the word Sr., which is the only one in the NBA history. The reason behind the suffix in his name is deeply personal and motivating.

In 2018, while playing for the Boston Celtics, “Mook” had a son with his girlfriend Amber Soulds. They named him Marcus Thomas Morris Jr.

Here's what the elder Morris had to say to the Boston Herald about the name change on his jersey:

“My son’s a junior, and it made me want to put a senior on the back of my jersey. It’s my first child — just reflecting back on my childhood, I never had a father. In that sense, it meant a lot to me.”

Marcus Morris Sr. added:

“(Perspective) comes with a lot of different things, just the maturity side of it,” said Morris. “Being someone’s father is different — someone who’s going to count on you and always looks up to you. As far as basketball and work ethic, I’m going five times harder to do everything. I need to take care of my family for the rest of my life.

In that interview, the NBA journeyman said that he wanted to “live forever” and that he put the senior on his jersey for his son to remember him.

Pride of becoming a father also hit him hard earlier tonight just before the LA Clippers battled the LA Lakers. Morris Sr. received information that his own father had died. Despite being raised by his mom alone, he has nothing but love and respect for his father:

“Love you Pops. R.I.P OG”

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Marcus Morris Sr. will be crucial to the LA Clippers’ title aspirations this season

Marcus Morris Sr. brings versatility, grit and toughness to the LA Clippers.

Over his last two complete seasons with the LA Clippers, Marcus Morris Sr. has averaged 14.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. What makes him so important to the team is his ability to operate inside as well as punish opponents from beyond the arc.

He is a career 37.7% shooter from long range but has hit 42.2% with the Clippers over the past two seasons.

Morris Sr.’s defense and rebounding are also integral parts of the Clippers that make them so versatile. When they play small ball, he plugs in the middle for Ty Lue’s team.

The former Kansas Jayhawk’s work on the defensive end is also quietly important. As shown in his play against LeBron James, the Clippers forward showed enough to limit the GOAT candidate.

If the Clippers, who are one of the favorites to win the championship, succeed, Marcus Morris Sr. would have made his mark on the team.