"Top five" - Ja Morant claims he is one of the 5 best point guards in the NBA
Memphis Grizzlies' star point guard Ja Morant recently sat down with HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, speaking on a variety of subjects. When asked where he ranks himself amongst the point guards in the league, Morant said,
"Top five".
Scotto then asked him who else belongs on Morant's top five list, which prompted the following response.
"Steph (Curry). I’m a big Chris Paul fan. I’d say Dame (Lillard) and (Russell) Westbrook. It’s tough. The point guard position is so loaded. Some guys have to get left out."
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies will be looking to push for a playoff berth in the upcoming season, and the athletic playmaker's form will play a pivotal role in it.
Ja Morant has had a dream start to his NBA career
Very few players have adapted to the NBA as quickly as Ja Morant has with the Memphis Grizzlies, despite playing the tricky role of point guard. Morant was handed the keys to the Grizzlies' offense in his rookie year itself, and he completely justified head coach Taylor Jenkins' faith in him by winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Ja Morant averaged 17.8 points and 7 assists per game during the 2019-20 NBA season, shooting 47% from the field. He followed it up with an improved performance in the 2020-21 NBA campaign, putting up 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Although, his shooting efficiency fell down to 44%, and that is an area Ja Morant still needs to improve.
At the young age of 21, Ja Morant has made his name amongst the point guards, but will have to be consistent and keep improving in order to justify his position in the long term. He has already racked up a few playoff appearances under his belt, and now his aim to should be to lead his side deep into the postseason despite playing in a brutally competitive Western Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies have done astonishingly well in the drafts in the last few years, and Ja Morant is the poster boy of their relatively young roster. The Grizzlies are building a team that can push for a championship in the coming season, and Morant is likely going to be the de-facto leader of the side.