We all knew Ja Morant could play at Murray State, when we saw the guard lead the Racers to a first-round upset of Marquette in the 2019 NCAA tournament with a triple-double.
But now, nearly halfway through his first NBA season, we know the Memphis Grizzlies rookie can play … AND he’s not afraid of anyone in the league at the age of 20.
Seriously: did you see what he did on Tuesday night? The shocking Grizzlies — the eighth seed in the West at the moment at 19-22 — won their sixth straight by taking down James Harden and the Houston Rockets. And Morant (a team-high 26 points while missing just ONE field goal, eight dimes and three shots from distance) dismantled the Rockets by doing stuff like this:
JA MORANT x JAREN JACKSON JR… OH MY! đłâšđ„
đș: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/VtXey3nt4x
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2020
Look at how he broke down Harden and shot from three when the defense gave him room — as social media pointed out, Morant had something NSFW to say after one of those shots:
Hand down, MAN DOWN!
Enough is enough, @JaMorant đ€ pic.twitter.com/QT3DNzHQbF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 15, 2020
âTell that motherf***er about me.â- Ja Morant
When Harden gave him space from the 3 point line pic.twitter.com/vRqpU7ExkC
— NBA RETWEET (@RTNBA) January 15, 2020
Morant doesn’t take a ton of threes — about 2.3 per game — but he hits them at a 40.7 percent clip when he does shoot. So here’s what that clip tells me: he’s overflowing with confidence. Clearly, the Rockets know he prefers to slash, and that there are critics out there worried that he can’t shoot in an NBA world where guards like him need to shoot well:
âThe doubters said I couldnât shoot. Iâm proving them wrong.â@JaMorant hit two big time 3-pointers against Harden who dared him to shoot. pic.twitter.com/WnU0OxVZ8T
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 15, 2020
I should say he’s also proven his basketball IQ is high, which helps:
Watch the awareness from Ja Morant here in P&R. Rockets bringing Capela up a little higher on the floor. Two on the ball, Harden rotates to take away the roll. Engages the defense, reads it and fires a skip to the corner for an open 3. pic.twitter.com/n3Iwi7OYyA
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) January 15, 2020
There are other reasons the Grizzlies are shocking the world. Jaren Jackson Jr. is taking another step forward a year after being the fourth overall pick in 2019. Dillon Brooks learned how to hit from distance and is taking more threes. Brandon Clarke is every bit the sleeper everyone thought he would be out of Gonzaga. Jonas Valanciunas is still Jonas Valanciunas.
But it’s Ja — he’s fast becoming one of those NBA players you refer to by a single name — who’s tying them all together and bringing the confidence that makes him one of the must-watch players in the entire league.
[jwplayer PAr9XIsa-q2aasYxh]