Grizzlies star Ja Morant draws illustrious comparison to NBA legend

Almost instantaneously after they snagged Ja Morant with the second overall pick back in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies realized they had acquired a truly special talent.

Though seemingly in the beginning stages of a full-out rebuild following the recent send-offs of key cornerstones Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the club wound up qualifying for a play-in spot during the 2019-20 campaign thanks, in large, to the point guard’s Rookie of the Year-winning production of 17.8 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Over the years since, the Grizzlies have only wound up improving their overall level of play, and so, too, has Morant.

When coming into the association, analysts already saw the makings of a true franchise floor general in the Murray State standout, with some tabbing him as a “more athletic” version of the departed Conley.

However, fast-forwarding four years into his professional career it has become clear that his ceiling, with all due respect to the former Memphis stud, is much higher than previously believed.

Just recently, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz even went as far as to up the stakes considerably with his star comparison, as he deemed Morant as being a “Bigger Allen Iverson.”

Grizzlies star Ja Morant receives description of being a “Bigger Allen Iverson”

Referring to both as “two of the most gifted guards of the past 30 years,” Swartz acknowledged in his analysis that they are rather different when it comes to build (Iverson measured in at just 6-feet, 165-pounds while Morant is 6-foot-3, 174-pounds), but their respective games are hard not to see strong similarities in.

"“It’s one thing to constantly attack the rim and willingly drive into the teeth of the defense if you’re a 6’8″, 220-pound wing. Going toward 7-foot, 275–plus-pound humans when you don’t even tip the scales at 175 yourself is quite another. Still, this is what we’ve seen from both Morant and Iverson, who move remarkably similar on the floor,” Swartz wrote.“In terms of aggressive guards with style and flair who prefer getting to the basket over settling for a three-pointer, both Morant and Iverson are some of the best we’ve ever seen.”"

Of course, this is by no means the first time the Grizzlies star has found his name linked to the likes of the Hall of Famer, for Morant and Iverson have constantly been mentioned in the same breath amongst analysts for the vast majority of his career.

From their quickness and dangerous ways of attacking the rim to their sheer on-court swagger, it seems the two will only continue to be compared for the foreseeable future barring any unforeseen setbacks, such as what Morant’s newest teammate, Derrick Rose, unfortunately, experienced due to long-standing struggles with injuries.

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