"Ja at 10?" - Damian Lillard bewildered by Ja Morant ranking as NBA's 10th-best age 25 and under player on survey
On Wednesday, The Ringer's staff released its age 25 and under NBA player rankings, with many taking exception to Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant's low placement. That seemingly includes Milwaukee Bucks superstar guard Damian Lillard, who questioned Morant's ranking on X/Twitter.
Morant only appeared in nine games this season due to a 25-game suspension for repeatedly brandishing a firearm and a subsequent right shoulder injury. He was forced to undergo season-ending surgery in mid-January, ending his fifth campaign shortly after it began.
Nonetheless, the 24-year-old has experienced extensive success to start his career, leading Memphis to the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. Meanwhile, he has earned two All-Star nods (2022 and 2023) and an All-NBA second-team selection (2022).
However, amid Ja Morant's extended absence, The Ringer's staff ranked him tied as the league's 10th-best player 25 or under, trailing several less accomplished players. That includes San Antonio Spurs and OKC Thunder rookies Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, and Thunder sophomore wing Jalen Williams.
All three have yet to receive a single All-Star or All-NBA selection. Furthermore, while Wembanyama had a dominant rookie season, the Spurs finished with a bottom-five record (22-60).
Thus, Lillard appeared perplexed by Morant's low placement, tweeting "Ja at 10?" with a thinking emoji on Wednesday.
However, as The Ringer staff noted in its article, multiple criteria outside of current performance were considered by its ranking panelists. Those include "future performance, charisma and marketability, intangibles and foundational qualities."
Apart from questions surrounding Ja Morant's off-court behavior, the outlet cited the Grizzlies star's athleticism-dependent playstyle. A below-average career 3-point shooter (31.8%), Morant thrives by relentlessly attacking the rim.
Thus, the Ringer staff cited concern about its confidence in a "leanly built guard who lives on penetration and rim production" holding up long-term.
Whether Morant's playstyle should be held against him so severely is debatable. Nevertheless, the list generated buzz, as it was likely intended to.
Amid controversial ranking, Ja Morant on track for potential redemption season
While Ja Morant suffered multiple setbacks this season, he is reportedly on track to make a full recovery by the start of next season.
Last month, Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman said that the two-time All-Star "is expected to be fully cleared for basketball activities maybe halfway through the offseason." Kleiman added that Morant has "been very diligent with his work" and "been around the team pouring into that every day."
So, he should have plenty of time to ramp up for a potential 2024-25 redemption campaign.
It remains to be seen if Morant's return will be enough to propel the Grizzlies into title contention. They went only 27-55 this season, including 21-52 without him, finishing 13th in the Western Conference.
Regardless, the 24-year-old should be motivated to prove his doubters wrong after extensive time on the sidelines.
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