Ja Morant, budding superstar for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been playing at a phenomenal level this season.
He’s made a massive leap from year two of his career to year three and his NBA peers have taken notice.
One peer in particular is Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who in a recent episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” had some thoughts on Morant and what he’s done this season.
The 6’3″ Morant is currently averaging 24.4 ppg, 6.7 apg, 5.7 rpg and is shooting 48.7% from the field through the first 46 games of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Draymond Green says Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is worthy of MVP talk
A lot of experts and insiders have pegged Ja Morant as a favorite to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award at the conclusion of the season and for good reason— he’s made a dramatic leap in his game.
However, Warriors star Draymond Green disagrees that Morant should be the MIP— emphatically, even.
Green recalled on his podcast about someone asking if he thinks Morant will win the award at the end of the season.
“Hell no Ja is not going to get Most Improved,” Green said re-enacting his response to the question posited to him. “Miles Bridges should get Most Improved.”
“The reason I don’t think Ja should get Most Improved is because Ja (this year) didn’t just become Ja. We knew last year Ja was serious. We knew he was going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Green said perhaps remembering Morant’s Grizzlies knocking the Warriors out of the Play-In Tournament last season.
“Now, has he improved? Absolutely. You can tell he lives in the gym and works on his game. He’s 100% improved. What I love most is those guys on that team follow him. They follow his demeanor. He leads that team and that organization. And that’s what I appreciate most about Ja Morant,” the likely future hall of famer said on his podcast.
“When I say ‘hell no’ about the MIP conversation— Ja, in my opinion, Ja has already passed that. Let’s talk about the MVP conversation. That’s the category that I personally feel like Ja Morant needs to be mentioned more in,” Green said.
Draymond Green knows a thing or two about MVPs, he’s played along side past MVP winners Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant in recent seasons.
“He’s playing at an MVP-level, All-Star starter, all of those things he is at that level,” Green said.
“I saw him say ‘I’m him’ after one of his and-ones and I think it was against us,” Green said pausing.
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“I would have a little bit to say about that if I was in that game, but nonetheless, I do think he’s him,” the Warriors star said with a seal of approval.
“ is an incredible, incredible athlete. But even more so than being an incredible athlete, he’s an incredible basketball player and an extremely smart basketball player,” Green said.
Morant is steadily moving up the MVP ladder and currently has the fifth-best odds to be crowned NBA MVP.
You can hear the full segment in which Draymond Green reflects on Ja Morant at the link to his podcast below. The Ja Morant segment begins shortly after the 15 minute mark.