Niele Ivey has only been an official member of the Memphis Grizzlies' coaching staff for less than a week. Still, she already seems to fully understand the importance of Ja Morant's development to the present and future of her new team.
Ivey, the NBA's ninth female assistant coach, told David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that she plans to study a lot of tape of the No. 2 overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft between now and when she reports to the Grizzlies.
“I plan to start watching clips of Ja, seeing him at Murray State and seeing what his game really is,” she said. “I want to definitely study his game as much as I can before I get there. That's what I'm doing right now.”
Ivey spent the previous 12 years as a member of the coaching staff at Notre Dame, her alma mater. She was promoted to associate head and recruiting coordinator in 2014. The Grizzlies announced Ivey's hiring earlier this week.
Morant, the consensus second-best prospect in this year's rookie class behind Zion Williamson, is arguably Memphis' most valuable building block. He averaged 24.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a NCAA-leading 10.0 assists per game while shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc at Murray State last season, showing off an elite combination of athletic ability, feel, and burgeoning skill. The Grizzlies still haven't gotten a glimpse of how Morant's game will translate to the next level, as he missed Summer League play with a minor knee injury.
Regardless, there are little concerns over his viability as a franchise point guard, a reality Ivey, despite so much film-watching to come, surely already understands.
Follow Us
Subscribe