NBA Draft: 3 Factors Leading to Ja Morant Jump-Starting Memphis Grizzlies’ Rebuild
A Sly Comparison
First of all, the 19-year-old has immense potential as a scorer. He can break down the defense, blow by his defender, and drive to the basket. Ja Morant does not shy away from contact and draws fouls for easy buckets.
Morant is often compared to the Sacramento King’s De’Aaron Fox, whose resurgence this year drew a lot of attention. Although there are definite parallels between their styles of play, Ja Morant is a more aggressive player on the offensive end and has more upside than Fox.
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One area Morant needs to improve is his shooting. This season, Murray State’s No. 1 option shoots 32.8% from three-point range on 4.9 attempts per game. For reference, De’Aaron Fox shot 24.6% in his lone college season and is shooting 36.6% as an NBA sophomore.
Morant is already a better shooter than Fox and has better mechanics. Like most rookies, he may have slumps in his rookie campaign, but can make a similar leap as Fox in his second season and emerge as a serious threat from beyond the arc.
Although Ja Morant has a slight frame, he can continue to produce points in his first season in the NBA, given that he is a better finisher around the basket than the Kings’ franchise player.