NBA Analyst Colin Cowherd recently made a claim that the media is falling for the Ja Morant hype like they did with Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose.
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It’s no secret that Ja Morant is one of the best point guards in the league today. What makes him stand out is his athleticism, which is seen on a nightly basis, with his high-flying dunks and posters, including a recent one against the Spurs.
As a result of his athletic ability, he has drawn comparisons to the likes of Derrick Rose, John Wall, and Russell Westbrook in their prime. All of whom are athletic point guards who can jump out of the gym and glide across the court with the ball in their hands due to their elite speed.
However, all 3 of them also have another factor in common, which is a steep drop-off in performances following injuries or other causes. And a certain NBA Analyst thinks history might repeat itself with the Grizzlies superstar. Take a look at what he had to say…
NBA Analyst makes absurd Ja Morant career trajectory projection.
When the Memphis Grizzlies drafted him No. 2 overall in 2019, they could only dream of the kind of performances he’s now delivering. The former ROY averaging an impressive 27.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game, making a case for the MVP in just his third year in the league.
However, NBA Analyst Colin Cowherd warned the league about hyping up the young superstar. He goes on to say –
“This Ja Morant stuff. I know he’s great. But I want to remind you…fans and the media have fallen for this…five times in the last twelve years. It’s called John Wall, it’s called Russell Westbrook, it’s called Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose was every bit Ja Morant. He literally took over social media, he took over cable TV”
“I am very skeptical about the long-term championship odds for springy, athletic guards that drive and score. The little guys that knock your socks off, and drive to the basket, are not great shooters do not last.”
.@ColinCowherd is skeptical of Ja Morant long-term…
“Fans in the media have fallen for this. It’s called John Wall, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick Rose.” pic.twitter.com/RtL6qKU6Xf
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 1, 2022
While on the face of it, it does seem like an outrageous take to get clicks. But if we do take a deeper look into it, he makes a very interesting case. All Westbrook, Rose and Wall relied on their athletic ability, and when they lost that due to multiple injuries, they were a former shell of themselves.
For example, take a young Derrick Rose, who averaged 25.0 points and 7.7 assists and led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA at the age of 22. He became the youngest player to win MVP and guided his hometown team to the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals.
The former 1st overall pick was an irrepressible force of nature — when he wanted to get in the paint, he would, and nobody could stop him. Sounds like a certain someone from the Grizzlies.
“He’s just fun to watch. There’s no other explanation. He’s so athletic, gifted, agile. I could compare him to like Derrick Rose with his explosiveness & ability to shift his body & move in the air. He just makes highlight plays after highlight plays.”
Paul George on @JaMorant. pic.twitter.com/uWL7oSaPqZ
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 26, 2021
However, multiple knee injuries derailed his career. As a result, he lost his athleticism and was traded multiple times over the next few years. However, the former MVP eventually found a home in New York as a solid role player with the Knicks.
However, what could help Ja Morant is that he is a better shooter from deep than all the 3 aforementioned guards. The 22-year-old is shooting a respectable 34% from beyond the arc this season and is improving year on year from 3-point territory.
That being said, is his high-flying athletic play sustainable? Who knows? If history is any indication, Grizzlies fans might be a little worried. For now, let’s just enjoy the highlights, while it lasts. Hopefully, it does so for a very long time.
