Ja Morant is one of the most exciting young players in the league. There is no doubt that his athleticism going to the basket and finishing around the rim have been exciting to watch. He has also been a key factor in the Memphis Grizzlies being near the top of the Western Conference as the 3rd seed.
There is no question that Ja Morant has received a lot of hype from the media, and he has even been touted as the potential next superstar to bring a small market a championship. There are definitely some hot takes out there regarding him, even if he is a fantastic player. Stephen A. Smith has recently claimed that Ja Morant could be more valuable in the playoffs than Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning Finals MVP.
.@stephenasmith thinks Ja Morant might be more valuable than Giannis in the postseason 👀
“I can’t sit up there and definitively say I’d rather have Giannis [than Ja] come playoff time!” pic.twitter.com/zwB69BadqD
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 19, 2022
Let Ja Morant keep ascending, and I might go with Ja. I think it’s a discussion. Giannis is Giannis, and I get that. He’s the reigning Finals MVP, reigning champion, he’s a former league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year. Giannis is Giannis, but we don’t know what the hell Ja’s gonna be.
I look at Ja Morant. Could you imagine if he was at the Garden… Do you undestand how special that would be. I’m telling y’all right now, I got Ja Morant as a top 2, top 3 MVP candidate right now… I know Giannis is going to dominate everybody that’s smaller and weaker. I get that. But what Ja Morant can do? Lord have mercy. I can’t sit up here and definitively say I’d rather have Giannis come playoff time at this moment.
There’s no doubt that this is a controversial take from Stephen A. Smith. Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently a top-5 player in the league, and Ja Morant has ways to go before he reaches that level. It is quite possible that Ja Morant will in fact be spectacular come playoff time, though putting him on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s level is a stretch.
Hopefully, we see the Memphis Grizzlies do well in the postseason, and it will be exciting to see how far they can go. While they aren’t a top-tier contender, they are a tough and physical team that will be a tough matchup for anyone in the Western Conference.
