A lot of the time, there's a huge jump in a player's game in Year 3. In Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's case, he isn't just making a jump. He's becoming a bonafide superstar in front of our eyes.
Don't forget, Ja won Rookie of the Year in 2019/20 then followed that up with an impressive campaign last season where he averaged 19.1 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game. Morant's sample size so far in the 2021/22 campaign is small, but all signs point to him becoming one of the league's best players.
Through three contests, the Grizzlies guard is putting up a ridiculous 35 points and 8.0 dimes per game while shooting 58% from the field and 44% from long range. Better yet, Ja has played some very tough opponents as well. He dropped 28 on the Clippers and received huge praise from Paul George, then went for 40 against the Lakers. It was this performance however that really proved how special Morant is, even though the Grizzlies lost.
As we all know, LA has numerous future HOFers on their roster in LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and Carmelo Anthony. Despite that, Ja was arguably the best player on the floor that night. His impressive handles and superior athleticism were on full display, weaving in and out amongst the Lakers' defenders for countless buckets at the cup. Then from a shooting standpoint, Morant was hot, hitting 5 of 7 threes. No open look? No problem, just dish out a nasty assist.
What makes him such a massive threat is the scoring and playmaking duo. He's extremely unselfish, evident by his assist numbers for the Grizzlies. Ja constantly has his head on a swivel for a cutting teammate or even Jaren Jackson Jr for their signature lob. It was well-known that he had the quickness to make plays in the lane, but he's immensely improved his shot as well, which makes him just that much more dangerous in every single offensive scenario.
We got a glimpse into what Morant is capable of in the playoffs last season when the Grizzlies lost 4-1 to the Utah Jazz in the first round. He went absolutely off in that series, averaging 30.2 and 8.2 assists. Evidently, no moment is too big for Ja. He is the face of this Memphis franchise and will be the number one reason they become a regular in the postseason for years to come. Sure, there are other important pieces around him such as Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks, and even the young Desmond Bane, but Ja is the focal point.
Not only is he proving to be a star, but Morant is making everyone around him better. What else could you ask for? The Grizzlies have a unique talent who will undoubtedly be an All-Star for many years to come.
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