Morgan Tuck (born April 30, 1994) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player. She played her first four WNBA seasons with the
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in ...
. She won 4 consecutive NCAA championships with the
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...
. She completed her high school career at
Bolingbrook High School in
Bolingbrook, Illinois
The village of Bolingbrook is a southwest suburb of Chicago in Will and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 census, the population was 73,922. As of 2010, it is the 17th largest incorporated place in Illinois and the sta ...
. She played on the
USA Basketball U17, U18 and U19 teams, where she helped each team win a gold medal.
Early years
Born in
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
,
Tuck played from an early age, but didn't think she was very good at it. She got better, and was good enough to earn a roster spot on the USA U16 team, although a knee injury prevented her from competing as a part of that team. Her high school teams had a combined record of 83–7 in her first three seasons, each of which culminated in a state championship.
She was named Freshman of the Year by ESPN Rise in 2009, as well as Sophomore of the Year in 2010.
Her senior year, the team had a record of 27–2, reaching the supersectionals, and failing to win the state title for the first time in her career.
She averaged 27.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game as a senior.
She earned the title of Ms. Basketball for the state of Illinois twice, once as a freshman and again as a senior. Only two other players had won the award twice at that time:
Cappie Pondexter
Cappie Marie Pondexter (born January 7, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. She was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and midrange ju ...
and
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Ang ...
.
Tournament of Champions
The Tournament of Champions is an annual event, since 1997, showcasing the best high school girls basketball teams.
[ The 2011 event, held in ]Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...
included 96 of the best basketball programs in the country. Bolingbrook, considered to be the number 1 team by USA Today, was assigned to the Smith Division, where they faced Cicero – North Syracuse High School
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...
(C-NS). The C-NS team, beat Bolingbrook 43–40 for their only loss of the tournament. After the loss to C-NS, Bolingbrook faced St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) Tuck put up 35 points, and dominated post play to help her team defeat St. Mary's 60–39. Tuck earned a place on the All-Tournament team, helped in part by a 35-point and 14 rebound performance against a team from Texas. She scored 35 points in two different games in the tournament.
High School Coaches' All-America Team
Tuck was selected to the 2012 Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.
The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.
The mission of the WBCA ...
High School Coaches' All-America Team. The top twenty high school players in the country are named as WBCA All-Americans, and eligible to play in the all-star game. She participated in the 2012 WBCA High School All-America Game, scoring eight points.
USA Basketball
Tuck earned a spot on the U17 team in 2010. Coach Katie Meier
Katie Meier (born December 19, 1967) is head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. She is a 1990 graduate of Duke University, where she played college basketball.
As of 2022, Meier has the mo ...
named Tuck one of the two captains of the team, along with Breanna Stewart
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (born Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player o ...
. The team competed in the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women, held in Rodez & Toulouse, France. Tuck earned a starting position in five of the eight games, and was the leading scorer in the game against Turkey. She helped the team win all eight games and earn the gold medal in the competition.
She continued her USA Basketball career with a position on the U19 team which competed in Puerto Montt, Chile in July 2011. Tuck started five of the nine games played. The team lost one game to Canada, but earned a spot in the medal round. The team beat France, then Brazil, and faced Spain in the gold-medal game. The lead changed several times in the early minutes, but the USA team opened up a larger lead, and won the gold medal.
Tuck was named to the USA U18 team in 2012. The team was competing at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women, held in Gurabo, Puerto Rico in August 2012. The team dominated the preliminary rounds, winning each of the three games by at least 40 points. In the semifinal game against Canada, Tuck hit nine of twelve field goal attempts and scored 22 points to lead all scorers, and help the USA team defeat Canada 95–46. In the gold-medal game against Brazil, the team found itself in unfamiliar territory—losing by double digits. Brazil opened on a 9–0 run and extended the lead to 18–7. The USA teams settled down and chipped away at the lead, eventually winning 71–47. Tuck was the high scorer for the game with 15 points. She also earned scoring honors for the entire tournament, scoring 17.8 points per game to become the leading scorer for the tournament.
2013 U19 – Lithuania
Tuck, along with teammates Moriah Jefferson
Moriah Jefferson (born March 8, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted second overall by the San Antonio Stars in the 2016 WNBA draft. ...
and Breanna Stewart
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (born Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player o ...
, were three of the twelve players selected to be on the team representing the US at the U19 World Championship for Women held in Klaipėda
Klaipėda (; ; german: Memel; pl, Kłajpeda; russian: Клайпеда; sgs, Klaipieda) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. The capital of the eponymous county, it is the third largest city and the only major seaport in Lithuania ...
and Panevėžys
Panevėžys (; Latin: ''Panevezen''; pl, Poniewież; yi, פּאָנעװעזש, ''Ponevezh''; see also other names) is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2011, it occupied with 113,653 inhabitants. As defined by Eurostat, the population ...
, Lithuania in July 2013.
College statistics
Source
Professional career
WNBA
Tuck was drafted 3rd overall by the Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in ...
in the 2016 WNBA Draft. During her rookie season, she was a reserve for the Sun, averaging 7 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game in 26 games with 3 starts. In a win against the Seattle Storm, she scored a career-high 20 points off the bench for the Sun. In the last of month of the regular season, Tuck sustained a right knee injury and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
In 2017, Tuck made her return from her knee injury on the 2017 season home opener. She scored a new career-high of 21 points in the Sun's starting lineup in an 81–74 loss to the Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded for the 2008 WNBA season. The team is owned by real e ...
. After the first five-game, Tuck would be ruled for nearly two months due to a bruise on her right knee. She would make her return on July 12, 2017, and was moved to the bench with less playing time following the injury. The Sun finished as the fourth seed, making the playoffs for the first time in five years. They received a bye to the second round elimination game, but they were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the second round.
In 2018, Tuck would be fully healthy for the season. She played all 34 games for the first time in her career while taking a bench role. The Sun were the fourth seed in the league with a bye to the second round elimination game. The Sun would lose yet again to the Mercury in the second round.
In 2019, Tuck played 33 regular season games for a Sun team that went 23–11 to clinch the second seed. In the second round the Sun swept the Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks (LA Sparks) are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was foun ...
to advance to the finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
, where they were defeated by the Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference ...
.
Prior to the 2020 WNBA season, Tuck was traded to the Seattle Storm, where she was reunited with her former UConn teammate, Breanna Stewart
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (born Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player o ...
.
Prior to the start of the 2021 WNBA season, Tuck announced her retirement from the WNBA on March 15, 2021 citing the multiple knee injuries she has had over the years as a main factor in her decision.
In May of 2021, Tuck was hired by the Connecticut Sun as Director of Franchise Development.
Overseas
In 2018, Tuck signed with Beijing Great Wall
Beijing Great Wall is a Chinese professional women's basketball club based in Beijing, playing in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). The team is owned by Beijing Shougang Co., Ltd., which also owns the Beijing Ducks men's basketbal ...
of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association
The Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) is the first-tier professional women's basketball league in China. It was established in 2002 as the women's counterpart to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
Current clubs
There are cu ...
for the 2018-19 off-season.
WNBA career statistics
Source
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 26 , , 3 , , 16.7 , , .414 , , .304 , , .711 , , 2.8 , , 1.1 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 0.9 , , 7.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 22 , , 5 , , 16.6 , , .354, , .289 , , .810 , , 2.2 , , 0.3 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 1.0 , , 5.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 34 , , 1 , , 13.6 , , .473 , , .349 , , .826 , , 2.3 , , 0.5 , , 0.4 , , 0.1 , , 0.7 , , 5.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 33 , , 0 , , 10.7 , , .388 , , .357 , , .600 , , 2.0 , , 0.8 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 0.9 , , 3.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 10 , , 0 , , 8.8 , , .313 , , .222 , , .625 , , 0.6 , , 0.2 , , 0.5 , , 0.0 , , 0.6 , , 1.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;", 5 years, 2 teams
, 125 , , 9 , , 13.6 , , .410 , , .322 , , .717 , , 2.2 , , 0.8 , , 0.4 , , 0.1 , , 0.9 , , 5.1
Post season
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 3.7 , , 1.000 , , – , , .500 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 3.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 9.3 , , .200 , , .000 , , – , , 2.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 7 , , 0 , , 8.6 , , .304 , , .000 , , – , , 1.0 , , 0.3 , , 0.2 , , 0.1 , , 0.1 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 7.0 , , .200 , , .000 , , – , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;", 4 years, 2 teams
, 10 , , 0 , , 8.0 , , .294 , , .000 , , .500 , , 1.1 , , 0.4 , , 0.2 , , 0.1 , , 0.1 , , 2.1
Awards and honors
* 2020 WNBA Champion, Seattle Storm
* 4x NCAA Champion (2012–2016)
* 2012—Parade All-American
* 2012—McDonald’s High School All-American
* 2012—WBCA High School All-American
* 2012—Gatorade Illinois Girls Basketball Player of the Year
* 2012—MaxPreps All-America first team
* 2012—''USA Today'' All-USA first team
* 2012—Illinois Ms. Basketball
* 2011–12 Herald-News Girls Basketball Player of the Year
* 2011—''USA Today'' All-USA third team
* 2010—''USA Today'' All-USA second team
* 2010—ESPN Rise Sophomore of the Year
* 2009—Illinois Ms. Basketball
* 2009—ESPN Rise Freshman of the Year
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuck, Morgan
1994 births
Living people
All-American college women's basketball players
American expatriate basketball people in China
Basketball players from Illinois
Beijing Great Wall players
Connecticut Sun draft picks
Connecticut Sun players
McDonald's High School All-Americans
Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)
People from Bolingbrook, Illinois
Power forwards (basketball)
Seattle Storm players
UConn Huskies women's basketball players