Max Kellerman compares Ja Morant to a young Michael Jordan: “When he goes up, he stays up, and glides”
NBA and Memphis Grizzlies rising superstar Ja Morant and his incredible performances this season have drawn some incredible comparisons to NBA legends.
The latest comparison is to arguably the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan. On ESPN's morning radio show Keyshawn, JWill and Max, sports media personality Max Kellerman spoke about how Morant reminds him of a lot of young MJ. Kellerman said:
"He reminds me of young Jordan. And the reason is - he's doing things in the air, when he goes up into the air, he is able to step on the air to get another level as though the air has friction like the ground. When he goes up, he stays up and glides."
MJ was known for soaring through the air while putting the ball in the net and Morant has displayed incredible athleticism thus far in his NBA career. This also speaks volumes of the type of season Morant is currently having as he is producing MVP caliber performances for the Memphis Grizzlies as the franchise has shocked everyone in the league with their standards this season.
Is Ja Morant an MVP candidate this season?
Ja Morant is, without question, one of the leading candidates for the MVP award this season. He has been the go-to man for the Memphis Grizzlies this season and has time and again proven his quality with incredible performances on the court for the Memphis-based side.
Ja Morant is the first player in Grizzlies history with 15 FG in consecutive games. https://t.co/uEXbemC62p
Morant is currently averaging 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting the ball better than 34% from beyond the arc and nearly 50% from the field and a shade over 75% from the free throw line. These are incredible numbers for a guy in just his third season in the league.
Morant has six games with 40 or more points this season and has racked up 22 games with 30 or more points in this campaign for the Grizzlies. He has one triple-double and nine double-doubles as well. These incredible numbers warranted him his first NBA All-Star selection and is on track for an All-NBA selection as well, if he keeps up this level of performance.
Ja Morant set his franchise's regular-season single-game scoring record in consecutive games (46 points Saturday, 52 Monday)
The last player to do this was Tony Campbell for the Timberwolves in 1989 (3rd & 4th games ever).
(H/T @EliasSports) https://t.co/BkbyYGZIdu
Ja Morant's high-flying athleticism and performances this season have earned him comparisons with the likes of Allen Iverson and Derrick Rose, with the latter being the one he is most compared to. The explosivness and the ability to score at will have prompted such comparisons and his ability from beyond the arc has also tremendously improved this season.
While the Memphis Grizzlies are still among the favorites to come out of the Western Conference this season primarily because of Ja Morant's performances, if he keeps this up, then they will be red-hot favorites to win the title.