Tennessee State Tigers men’s basketball has officially signed former McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit Arterio Morris, adding another high-profile talent to a roster that is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing teams in the HBCU and mid-major landscape.
Head coach Nolan Smith announced the signing , bringing in a guard who has competed at multiple levels of college basketball, including stints with the Texas Longhorns, South Plains College, and Bethune-Cookman.
Morris averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game at Bethune-Cookman last season He scored in double figures 17 times on the season, while showcasing the athleticism and scoring ability that made him one of the nation’s top recruits coming out of Dallas’ Kimball High School, where he averaged 19.4 points and 7 rebounds per contest/. Morris was considered the top prospect in his class coming out of college and was scouted as a “strong-bodied, broad shouldered, point guard with crafty handle who gets downhill quickly and does not dance with the ball.” He was ranked among the top 20 players nationally and earned McDonald’s All-American honors in 2022.
The addition comes just weeks after Tennessee State landed former McDonald’s All-American and five-star big man Aaron Bradshaw, giving the Tigers two former elite high school prospects on the same roster.
Fresh off a 23-win season, an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship, and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994, Tennessee State continues to build momentum under Smith. The Tigers are assembling a roster loaded with high-major talent and appear poised to make another run at the OVC crown in 2026-27.
