Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant hopes he can serve as an example for aspiring hoopers after winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award by a landslide on Thursday.
Ja Morant was interviewed by Ernie Johnson and Co. prior to the start of the Boston Celtics-Toronto Raptors matchup. He spoke about his journey from a mid-major program at Murray State to being named Rookie of the Year.
The 21-year-old described the journey as “tough,” but also said he believes his story will provide “hope” for players who might not be top recruits out of high school.
“For guys, kids who, you know, not heavily recruited right now, then this will give them a lot of hope.” @JaMorant reacts to being named the 2019-2020 ROY on @NBAonTNT 🙏 pic.twitter.com/PUpg2fQI6C
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 3, 2020
Ja Morant received 99 out of 100 first-place votes, with Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn finishing second in the voting. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson finished third.
Ja Morant and Zion were actually AAU teammates in high school, though they took very different paths to the NBA.
Williamson was a national preps star, dazzling fans and scouts with his absurd size and athleticism. Zion would go on to play at Duke University before being selected by the Pelicans with the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft.
Ja Morant, meanwhile, ended up at little-known Murray State, where he gradually rose to prominence.
The former Racers star showed promise in his freshman season, but took a supersonic leap in his sophomore year. Ja Morant averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds, and burst onto the national stage when he posted a triple-double in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Morant's exceptional physical abilities and court vision made him the No. 2 pick, and he subsequently helped turn the Grizzlies into a legitimate playoff contender. Now, he hopes younger players will look to him for inspiration.
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