LSU star Aneesah Morrow gets to celebrate as Simeon Career Academy prepares to retire her No. 24 jersey
LSU Tigers senior forward Aneesah Morrow has a reason to celebrate after finding out that her high school will be retiring her jersey. As a junior in 2020, Morrow led Simeon Career Academy to its first girls basketball state championship with a 35-2 record.
Morrow grew up in Chicago, where she attended Simeon and later DePaul University. However, she transferred to LSU in 2023 and has returned to play in her native city on Thursday night against Illinois-Chicago for the first time since transferring.
Simeon Career Academy was already famous for its boys program, producing NBA stars like Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker, but Aneesah Morrow helped shine more light on the girls program.
More than 30 family members, along with kids from her elementary and high schools, will be in the crowd to see her jersey retired tonight when fifth-ranked LSU (12-0) faces UIC (2-5) at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago.
Kim Mulkey calls Aneesah Morrow a "walking double-double"
Since transferring to LSU, Aneesah Morrow's game has become even sharper, although her basketball skills were already strong. LSU coach Kim Mulkey has high praise for her.
"She’s a walking double-double," Mulkey said. "We’ve had many great players, but what sets Aneesah apart is her rebounding. She just keeps going after rebound after rebound, even against taller players. She works hard, never seems to tire and can play both inside and outside. She’s a joy to coach."
In LSU’s 91-64 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, Morrow scored 26 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. She led fastbreaks, powered through contact and set up teammates with sharp passes. The skills are nothing new for her.
She has also learned to approach each teammate differently, a skill she picked up from quietly observing her siblings during their practices in Chicago.
Morrow was a second-team All-American and a two-time, first-team All-Big East selection at DePaul. She led the nation in rebounding as a freshman in 2021-22, when she was the national freshman of the year. She had 53 double-doubles in 66 games at DePaul.
At LSU last season, Morrow was an honorable mention All-American and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection. She had 21 doubles in 37 games, even while playing with Angel Reese, who is known for her legendary double-double prowess. She also had 93 steals, the third-best total in program history.
“I always try to understand my teammates,” Morrow says. “With the transfer portal, you meet people from all kinds of backgrounds. You have to know their personalities and figure out how to challenge each one in a way that works for them.”
When she returns to Chicago tonight, the city will meet a new version of Aneesah Morrow—a stronger, more confident version she built herself over years of hard work.