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“Ja Morant over Jayson Tatum going forward”: Max Kellerman gives huge props to the Memphis Grizzlies star after his impressive playoff outings

Advait Jajodia
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"Ja Morant over Jayson Tatum going forward": Max Kellerman gives huge props to the Memphis Grizzlies star after his impressive playoff outings

After two sensational playoffs game performances, analyst Max Kellerman gives huge props to Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.

Ja Morant is easily one of the best young talents in the league. In only his 2nd year, Morant established himself as Memphis’ leader. There is no doubt that the 6-foot-3 guard will surely be one of the future faces of the league. Not many 21-year-olds have achieved what Ja has been done so far. Judging on his potential, one can safely say that Morant is a generational talent.

Unlike many other stars, Ja wasn’t a highly recruited player coming out of high school. In fact, Temetrius was unranked and attended a mid-major college program at Murray State.

With the 2nd pick of the 2019 Draft, Ja managed to display his All-Star level talent last entire season, while winning the Rookie of the Year honors. And at the rate Morant has been improving his game, the sky is the roof for this young and talented guard.

This 2020-2021 season too, Ja looked more determined than ever. Failing to make the postseason in the Bubble, all Morant was hungry for, was to lead his team to their first playoffs since 2017. As the Memphis Grizzlies stunned San Antonio and Golden State in the newly-added play-in tournament, they clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

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Max Kellerman lauds Ja Morant for his incredible playoffs performance

The major reason behind Memphis and their success this season was the 21-year-old Ja Morant leading his young and inexperienced team from the front. Despite missing Janeen Jackson for practically the whole season, Ja didn’t look to be helpless.

Playing in his debut NBA playoffs, Morant has proved that he is not afraid to perform on the big stage. As he recorded a historic 73-points in his first two playoffs games against the #1 seeded Jazz, analyst Max Kellerman couldn’t help but appreciate the reigning ROTY. In the latest episode of ESPN’s “First Take”, Max lauded Ja:

“Everyone’s talking about Jayson Tatum. And I’ve said Jayson Tatum maybe one day can be the number one option, offensively, on a championship team. I think I would take Ja Morant over Jayson Tatum going forward.”

“Ja Morant is the next level of athlete. He has that Westbrook aggressiveness with explosive athleticism. He is looking for his teammates, he is looking to score.”

“Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray and now Ja Morant and Luka Doncic, these young dudes like 22-years-old… They’re coming. They’re ready. Like they step up in their first playoff performance and it’s jaw-dropping. Ja Morant is joining that group right now.”

Also Read: When Lance Stephenson gave us one of the most memed moments ever by blowing into the Lakers star’s ear

Coming off a spectacular 47-point performance in a 141-129 loss against Utah, Ja and his Memphis will need to bring out their best game if they want to upset the best team this season. The way the first two matches have been played, with the series tied 1-1, we surely are in for an action-packed thriller.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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