22-year old Ja Morant already has Kendrick Perkins betting all his hard-earned money on him to lead Memphis Grizzlies to their first-ever title.
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Memphis Grizzlies currently occupy the 4th spot in the much competitive western conference. It is a massive improvement from last season when they were in the play-in tournament. They defeated LA Lakers 104-99 Wednesday night, upsetting LeBron James on his birthday.
Ja Morant was the star of the night, much like any other Grizzlies win. He was 6-7 beyond the arc and scored season-high 41 points. He was doing everything last night, stuffing his stat sheet with 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
LeBron James on the other hand recorded yet another 30-point triple-double in vain. While Lakers are still in the play-in territory, the Grizzlies have far exceeded expectations this season with a top 10 net rating so far.
Kendrick Perkins says Ja Morant deserved to be picked no. 1 over Zion Williamson
Ja Morant has only gotten better each passing season. Whereas Zion Williamson has spent more time off the court than on it. He is currently averaging 24.5 points a game and had 8 30+ point games this season. The number would be a lot higher if he hadn’t missed 12 games due to an injury.
Kendrick Perkins heaped praises on the young star on ESPN’s first take. He sees a true leader in the 22-year old and strongly believes he could lead the Grizzlies to a championship. The NBA analyst says Ja is a perfect blend of Westbrook’s athleticism, Kyrie’s craftiness, and Rondo’s passing.
.@KendrickPerkins says Ja Morant is the next superstar to bring a title to a small market 😱
“I’m looking at Ja Morant and he’s going to be, in my opinion, the next Giannis of the NBA!” pic.twitter.com/sV5YuP8bMq
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 30, 2021
“People keep saying he’s a rising superstar, I think he has already hit that level. I think he’s going to be the next Giannis. And I am not just talking about individual accolades – he is a young superstar,” says Perkins. If I had to bet all my money I’d do it on Ja Morant leading a small-market franchise to a title.”
Perkins’ comments are not far from reality. Although the Grizzlies don’t have all the right pieces as yet to win the title, they are certainly on the correct path with Morant at the center of it all. They defeated the Golden State Warriors in the play-in but fell short to the #1 Utah Jazz last season.
In addition, they gave #1 seeded Warriors their first loss this season. Ja Morant is perfectly able to provide volume scoring as well as play-making when required. His role is in ways similar to Harden’s when he was with the Rockets. They are a ‘vet with playoff experience’ away from becoming a serious contender.
