Ja Morant was the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft class, and he has done some great things thus far in his career. He averaged 19.1 PPG and 7.4 APG in his sophomore 2020-21 season, and he managed to bring the Memphis Grizzlies to a playoff appearance after defeating MVP candidate Stephen Curry in the play-in tournament. It’s obvious that he’s a unique talent.
Despite his abilities, Ja Morant wasn’t viewed as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 class, with Zion Williamson being most people’s choice as the consensus No. 1 prospect. While there has been some concern about Williamson’s injury issues, most people would agree that he was deserving.
With that being said, Ja Morant was clearly a great draft pick, and he’s started off hot in the 2021-22 season with a 37 point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kendrick Perkins was one of the people who believed that Ja Morant deserved to be selected with the No. 1 pick, and he reminded people of that fact recently.
Y’all remember when I told the world in 2019 that if I were the Pelicans I would have taken Ja Morant with the Number 1 pick? Remember when people called me CRAZY? Don’t mind me tho and Carry on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 21, 2021
Y’all remember when I told the world in 2019 that if I were the Pelicans I would have taken Ja Morant with the Number 1 pick? Remember when people called me CRAZY? Don’t mind me tho and Carry on…
There’s no question that Ja Morant could have been the No. 1 pick in a lot of draft classes, and Kendrick Perkins’ opinion makes sense. Perkins has previously described Ja Morant as a mix of Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, and Rajon Rondo, and he’s clearly high on his potential.
For Ja Morant, the sky is the limit. He has a good combination of athleticism and playmaking, and if he ever gets a reasonable shot from range, the NBA is in trouble. Hopefully, he is able to reach that superstar level that many expect, and perhaps Ja Morant will end up proving Kendrick Perkins right.
