Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant ran out to a big lead in the Rookie of the Year race, but the arrival of No. 1 pick Zion Williamson after returning from injury seemingly added intrigue to the race.
Williamson mesmerized with his power, athletic ability, and gaudy stat lines, leading to questions about whether Morant was still a sure-shot to walk away with the award. As it turns out, he is, according to a recent ESPN survey that was meant to simulate the actual voting process.
A total of 70 media members were chosen to give their input — some local, some national, and even some international writers to critique these rookies amid this halted 2019-20 season.
Morant locked in a perfect 70 first-place votes out of 70, while Williamson only mustered 58 second-place votes and 11 third-place votes in the poll:
Morant walked away with a perfect score, one that would make him a unanimous choice to become the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year.
Assuming voters go the same route during the actual voting process, Morant should cakewalk his way to that award after putting the Grizzlies in place for a playoff spot before the hiatus.
Morant isn't the destructive high-octane scorer Williamson is, but he is electric in his own right, using his speed and creativity and combining it with high-rising dunks and flashy playmaking.
The 20-year-old is averaging 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game through 59 games.
The fact that Morant has played the vast majority of his team's games certainly adds some weight to his case for ROY, considering he has done a lot of the heavy lifting to get this rebuilding team to where it is now. While Zion Williamson could very well wind up having the better career, Ja Morant should take home the Rookie of the Year hardware.
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