Charles Barkley Publicly Questions 6ft 2″ Ja Morant’s Leadership Skills 

Arjun Julka | 16/11/2022
Charles Barkley Publicly Questions 6ft 2" Ja Morant's Leadership Skills 

An emerging superstar in the league, Ja Morant continues to impress us with his versatility on the hardwood, making a strong push for the MVP award this season. The reigning MIP, along with teammate Desmond Bane make for one of the best backcourts in the league.

Currently holding a 9-5 record, the Grizzlies are seeded fourth in the highly stacked western conference. Leading the team in points, assists, and steals, Morant has only elevated his game post his break-out 2021-22 season. The 6ft 2″ guard from Murray State has the potential to be one of the NBA’s biggest draws.

Big 12 exhibits unreal athleticism, especially when it comes to playing in the paint. The former All-Star is a highly efficient 47.4% from mid-range and 62.5% from the restricted area. A complete two-way guard, Morant is yet to receive his flowers on defense.

Also read: “I don’t like Ja Morant… Anybody who has 2 letters in their first name cannot be real!”: Charles Barkley piles on his dislike for the Grizzlies’ star on Inside the NBA

Amid all the high praise surrounding Morant, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley voiced his doubts over the 6ft 2″ guard’s leadership skills.

Charles Barkley reveals the next step in Ja Morant’s career.

Despite his phenomenal run so far, Barkley believes Morant has much more to offer on his plate, expecting to see the Grizzlies guard develop into a more effective leader.

The Chuckster’s statements do come as a bit of a surprise, given the continuous upward trend in the Grizzlies guard’s career graph.

The 2nd pick in the 2019 draft, Morant was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies. The athletic guard was impressive from the very go, winning the ROTY award, averaging 17.8 PPG and 7.3 APG.

In his sophomore season, Big 12 ended the four-year playoff drought in Memphis, defeating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies had a first-round ceiling that year.

The 2021-22 season had Morant earn his first All-Star and All-NBA selection. The 23-year-old was crowned MIP, with the Grizzlies finishing as the second seed in the west. Hadn’t it been for his knee injury during the semi-finals series against the Warriors, we might be singing a different song today.

Does Ja Morant need to worry about Charles Barkley’s remarks?

As of today, maybe not, given there is no such happening or statistic to suggest so, considering he leads the Grizzlies in assists.

Nevertheless, an early exit come playoff time may give those currently on the fence the perfect opportunity to nitpick.

Also read: “Minnesota Timberwolves are dumber than rocks because they have dumb coaches”: Charles Barkley livid following Karl Anthony Towns and co’s collapse against Ja Morant and Grizzlies

 

Post Edited By: Arjun Julka
Charles Barkley Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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