Rudy Gay has the clear advantage over Morrison in terms of athleticism. Gay possesses excellent speed and leaping ability. He's capable of getting way up over the rim for spectacular finishes. Morrison, although not a freak, is underrated athletically. He has a very quick first step, and excellent speed overall. He?s very mobile for a 6-8 player. Both lack great lateral quickness right now in their current stages of development. Gay has spent the off-season trying to get better in that area, and has a lot of margin for error defensively due to his extremely long arms.

Both players are very skilled, but this is the area of the game where Adam Morrison specializes. He's the best scorer/offensive player in all of college basketball. He?s possibly the best pure scorer the college game has seen since Dwayne Wade. Morrison has the total package offensively and is capable of scoring from virtually anywhere on the floor. He possesses arguably the purest stroke in the country and is a very good outside shooter. He can knock down threes from NBA range and beyond. He?s also a very good ball handler and has the ability to create his own shot off of the dribble at 6-8. He has a great feel for the basket and shoots a very high percentage from the floor. Overall, Morrison?s scoring instincts and scoring ability are unmatched in the college game. Rudy Gay is no slouch offensively either. He possesses excellent shooting touch, and already is a very potent jump-shooter at 6-9. Due to his height and athleticism he can get his shot off at any time. He can shoot the ball with range, and is a very good mid-range shooter. Like Morrison he?s a pretty efficient offensive player. Right now the thing that separates them though is ball handling. Morrison can create for himself or his teammates going off of the dribble with ease, while Gay doesn?t appear comfortable doing that yet. If Gay improves his ball handling he can make up a lot of ground on Morrison offensively.

Neither player is really known for their defense, but Rudy Gay is much more of a presence defensively than Adam Morrison. Due to Gay?s incredible length and athleticism he?s an excellent shot-blocker. Gay can use his long arms to be disruptive on the defensive end, and the tools are there for him to become an excellent defender. Morrison plays hard on defense, and while he has the potential to become an adequate defender, he?ll likely never be great defensively. He lacks the great length and athleticism that Gay has, so his margin for error is much smaller defensively.

This is the area where Adam Morrison stands head and shoulders above just about every player in college basketball. His basketball IQ is off of the charts and he already has excellent leadership skills. He wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line, and he?s already proven himself to be a great clutch player. No one competes or works harder on their game than Morrison. There are very few players in the nation who can match Morrison?s passion for the game, and his great basketball understanding. Gay also possesses very good intangibles. He?s a hard worker and has a very good feel for the game. He already plays with a lot of poise and maturity. Still, he could stand to hone his leadership skills by becoming more demonstrative.

Overall Rudy Gay and Adam Morrison are in a dead heat in terms of talent and potential, but I have to give the slight edge to Morrison due to his offensive prowess and great intangibles. Regardless both should dominate at the small forward position this season, and the debate will likely rage on in determining who is better. Right now, Morrison has the edge.