Well now we know; Ja Morant doesn’t care about winning Rookie of the Year.
With Memphis holding a 3.5 game lead over the Blazers, Pelicans, and Kings, they have to finish the season strong if they want to secure their place in the 2020 playoffs. Right now, that mission is all that matters to the 20-year-old point guard.
Ja Morant at shootaround this morning: “I honestly don’t care about Rookie of the Year. They can give that to who they want.” Said his main focus is getting the Grizzlies to the playoffs
— Offseason O (@omarisankofa) March 2, 2020
Whether he likes it or not, Morant is the runaway favorite to win the award this year, averaging 17.6 points, 7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in the wake of Zion’s absence for most of the season. His play has also helped the Grizzlies exceed expectations — they currently hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
As for the playoff race, Memphis has held firm to its lead since at least the middle of the season. But with a large chunk of games still left to go, they will have to continue performing at a high level if they want to retain their position.
It’s a good sign that Ja has his priorities in order and, best-case, he’ll be able to win Rookie of the Year and make his first-ever NBA postseason berth by April.
This kid has got a bright future ahead of him.
