Grizzlies: 3 bold predictions for Ja Morant in 2021-22
Memphis Grizzlies PG Ja Morant, Bold Prediction No. 2: Ja Morant will earn his first NBA All-Star Selection
After winning Rookie of the Year in his first NBA season, Ja Morant was shooting to make his first NBA All-Star Game appearance for his performance in the 2020-21 season. Unfortunately, his shooting prevented him from doing so.
By the time the All-Star break came around, Morant was still shooting below 30% from deep range. Despite the fact that his jump shot didn’t look terrible, the Grizzly point guard was playing with a lid on the basket. Despite significant strides offensively, his game was limited because of this.
In the play-in tournament and NBA Playoffs, we got a glimpse of what Morant is capable of when he’s shooting well and playing improved overall offense. This resulted in the Grizzly ball handler averaging 30.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds.
Those aren’t just NBA All-Star numbers — those are MVP candidate numbers.
Now, at this point, we should pump the brakes to an extent. I highly doubt Morant will be in the MVP conversation next year, but it’s hard to see a world where he isn’t, at the very least, considered an NBA All-Star by the time All-Star weekend rolls around.