There is no doubt that Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this season.
When it comes to sheer star-power, they fall behind most other teams in the West, including the Suns, Warriors, Jazz, Nuggets, and Lakers (to name a few). Despite this, they sit as the third-best team in the Conference, boasting a 30-15 record through the first half of the season.
No doubt, Ja’s exceptional play has been a huge reason for the rise of Memphis, and Isiah Thomas has taken notice. Speaking on SiriusXM NBA radio, the Hall-of-Fame point guard showered heavy praise on the Grizzlies star, hailing his fearlessness against some of his best competitors.
“The most impressive thing about him, for me, has been his willingness to compete against the star players. And not only compete against them but accept the challenge to go out and beat them while giving them their respect but at the same time not shying away from the destination and journey that he wants to have in the league.
Too many times, people will see the opposing star point guards and just kind of give in. I like what Ja has done over the years. He’s gotten better and not only has she gotten better, but he looks at all of them right now as lunch. He goes out and he’s eating all of them up.”
Hall of Fame PG 🤝 @JaMorant
@IsiahThomas tells @TermineRadio & @JumpShot8 he’s impressed by Morant’s willingness to compete against opposing star players. #GrindCity pic.twitter.com/QTiR7Irplc
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) January 15, 2022
In just his third season, Ja is proving to be an elite-level guard. Through 32 games, he’s averaging 24.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game on 48% shooting.
Needless to say, his play has caught a lot of attention from the NBA community. As fans, media members, and basketball legends acknowledge his rise to prominence, there is no doubt he will continue to do his thing and show his competition why he and his team are a force to be reckoned with.
