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It’s been three years since Zion Williamson and Ja Morant stepped foot in the NBA and so far, it’s looking like Morant should have been picked first overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2019 NBA Draft. No disrespect to Williamson (who is arguably better than Morant skills-wise) but skill can only take you so far in today’s league. To evaluate a rising star player, one must look at his durability, how he impacts the team’s culture, and how far he’s carried his team—and in this case, Morant has the edge.
Let’s go further in detail as to why the Memphis Grizzlies star deserved to be the number one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The importance of durability
For as good as Williamson is on the court, his health is still a big question mark. Has he ever finished a season with no injury? He has only played 85 games so far compared to Morant’s 136. And as of writing, it’s Morant who’s currently on the floor instead of Williamson who’s nursing a foot injury. A player’s durability is a top asset in today’s game and that alone should give Morant the edge.
Changing the Grizzlies culture
Since Morant entered the league, the Grizzlies have at least been competitive or advanced to the NBA Playoffs. He has completely changed the culture in Memphis and has brought back the grit-and-grind mantra to the team—something the Grizzlies were most notably known for in the past. Meanwhile, Williamson hasn’t proven that he’s changed the culture in New Orleans as the Pelicans have yet to make it to the postseason in his tenure.
Ja Morant through 5 games:
30 PTS – 7 REB – 5 AST
17 PTS – 9 REB – 10 AST
40 PTS – 3 REB – 10 AST
28 PTS – 2 REB – 8 AST
37 PTS – 6 REB – 6 AST pic.twitter.com/6mLgUoVJia— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 29, 2021
It’s even fair to argue that Williamson has had better teammates as compared to Morant. It’s just unfortunate that the Pelicans haven't made the leap. We don’t know what the former Duke standout does behind the scenes but he’s already shown subtle signs that he might want out of NOLA. If I were to bet who stays longer in their respective teams, I’d put all my money on Morant being with the Grizzlies for the long haul.
Morant has shown progress
This isn’t a slight on Williamson, who made the All-Star Game quicker than Morant, but it’s fair to question why he keeps gaining pounds every year. His weight can be a cause of concern especially if you’re playing a sport that requires you to be as fit as possible. It’s even scarier to think that Zion’s coming back from a relatively serious foot injury while he’s out of shape so his conditioning might not be where it is. He’s going to have to play catch up especially if he wants to start strong as soon as he gets back on the court.
https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1454615968307634182
Meanwhile, Morant has shown nothing but progress in his game, especially his newly developed jump shot. The Grizzlies guard has been one of the best players in the first week and a half and it seems like he’s only going to get better from here. Morant is in his third year but his conditioning has never been an issue. He’s had his fair share of injuries but that has never hindered him from being the best he can be.
The NBA Draft is always better in hindsight, but there's no denying Ja Morant could've easily been the no. 1 selection in 2019.
