Memphis Grizzlies: Future Star Ja Morant Returns to Basketball Activity One Week Before NBA Draft

There should be zero concern for the Memphis Grizzlies if they do in fact select Murray State’s Ja Morant with the No. 2 pick in June 20th’s NBA Draft.

On Tuesday, June 11th — just two days after the Memphis Grizzlies hosted a face-to-face meeting with leading point guard prospect Ja Morant — video footage has surfaced of the Murray State product’s return to the hardwood. This is major news for him as well as the Grizzlies with a little over a week remaining until the 2019 NBA Draft arrives.

Some hoops fans may be thinking “so what?” But for Ja Morant, he was to be sidelined for three to four weeks after a minor knee procedure. Approximately one week later, here he is. Back on the court. Plus, it looks as if he has not been slowed one bit, though it was not five-on-five contact action.

Morant’s camp released a clip of the point guard’s hot outside shooting on Tuesday, followed by another clip of him throwing down a couple of light two-handed dunks. Ja’s camp confirmed to Beale Street Bears that the video clips were filmed on June 11th.

From a shooting standpoint, Ja Morant nailed all eight three-point shot attempts with a hand in his face on each one. The Memphis Grizzlies can forget about ever wanting a pre-Draft workout from Morant after seeing this footage. This is their pre-Draft workout. This three-point marksmanship should be enough to say “yes” to Ja on the June 20th NBA Draft Night.

From his freshman to sophomore season at Murray State, Morant increased his three-point shooting accuracy by 6%. There is no reason why he will not be able to achieve a a 40% shooting mark from deep in the NBA as his sweet stroke is still on the rise.

A sleeve was worn by Ja Morant on his affected right knee, but his movement was not hindered. He looked comfortable, and honestly, appears to be chomping at the bit to play in regulation games. He appears hungry to get to work. This should serve as confirmation to the Grizzlies that this is a cannot-miss talent and they absolutely should spend their selection on Ja.

If the Memphis Grizzlies do in fact select Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick at the NBA Draft, it is uncertain if the club will hold him out of Summer League action for precautionary reasons. If Tuesday’s released footage are any indication, he should be a full go for game action once July arrives.

While rumors are running amuck in regard to the battle between Ja Morant and Duke’s R.J. Barrett for the Grizzlies’ No. 2 pick, things should become ironed out in the coming days. Since Morant’s procedure was not serious, this gives Memphis a green light to draft their point guard of the future. This is their golden opportunity to obtain a sure-fire superstar from Day One.