The Rookie of the Year race is not close, at least in the eyes of Jaren Jackson Jr.
Unsurprisingly, the Memphis Grizzlies forward named teammate Ja Morant as the ROY this season during his media availability on Friday ahead of the NBA Rising Stars Game.
The two have grown close this season and have often had each other’s backs but friendship aside, Morant has been the top rookie to this point of the season.
Of course, the arrival of Zion Williamson may make it difficult for voters at the end of the season but Morant has appeared in 38 more games than Williamson and has often dominated with the Grizzlies.
ROY race as told by @jarenjacksonjr: “It’s not close” 🐻@JaMorant ready to cook in the Rising Stars Challenge on @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/kBu9bQtCnc
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) February 14, 2020
Morant is averaging 17.6 points, 7.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds and one steal in 48 games this season. He missed six games due to back spasms early in the season but still leads all rookies in scoring, assists and field goals made.
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The second overall pick recently finished just two points shy of setting the Grizzlies record for highest-scoring triple-double, which was the first by a rookie this season.
With Morant and Jackson leading the way, the Grizzlies are two games above .500 this season for the first time and are in eighth place in the Western Conference.
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