Grizzlies star Ja Morant has gotten himself into trouble in the past but the mentorship of Derrick Rose helped him turn things around. Speaking in a recent chat with the Daily Memphian, Morant got real on Rose’s impact and how his guidance helped him become a better man and leader both on and off the court.
“He [Rose] spoke on some of the stuff he went through, and we shared similar stuff, you know, growing up and all,” Morant said. “So, it was surprising to see that. Obviously, watching a guy like that — guys said we have similarities in our game. Just to know that off the court we shared some of the same things with big time. (He showed) how I carry myself now, and what I do around the organization.”
Rose was in a similar position as Morant early on in his career. The Chicago native was drafted first overall by the Bulls in 2008 and he quickly rose to fame due to his shocking athleticism and likeable personality. At the end of the 2010-11 season, Rose was crowned as the youngest MVP in NBA history with averages of 25.0 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game on 44.5% shooting.
Unfortunately for Rose, injuries de-railed his career until he was forced out of Chicago to try his luck elsewhere. Today, Rose is officially retired from the NBA but his presence still lingers with the Grizzlies, where he showed them the way as a respected veteran.
Specifically, he worked with Ja Morant to help guide and mentor him into becoming an effective leader and it left a lasting impression. Statistically, the Grizzlies star is one of the best guards in the game with career averages of 22.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on 47.2% shooting.
But after getting caught flashing his gun on Instagram Live (on two separate occasions), Morant earned a suspension from the NBA that jeopardized his standing in the league. To make matters worse, more stories leaked behind the scenes about incidents involving threats and red laser pointers.
The Grizzlies signed Derrick Rose at their lowest point, hoping that he could step in and make a difference for all of their young stars. With so many similarities in both personality and playstyle, it’s no wonder why Morant and Rose connected so well and it’s no mystery why Derrick’s advice helped steer him in a positive direction.
Now that he’s back on the court and his best behavior, Ja Morant can get back to focusing on what he does best: imposing his will on the basketball court. This season, with averages of 22.0 points, 8.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game on 46.8% shooting, Ja is in his back once again, and the Grizzlies are in a position to make a serious run.
The next test for this team is tomorrow, December 5th, against the Kings at FedEx Forum. It’s their last game before heading East to play the Celtics at TD Garden at 8:00 PM EST and then the Wizards on December 8th, at Capital One Arena, at 7:00 PM EST.
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