The summer of Ja Morant took another turn in the positive direction after he received recognition on various outlets. His new shoe, Nike Ja 3, is set to release its third colorway on August 21st, following two releases on July 22nd and August 5th. He was also recognized on the cover of the Slam Kicks Magazine for his new shoe release.
While Ja Morant was focused on his "Make Them Watch" tour to promote his new shoes, his game on the court has been recognized as one of the best in the NBA. In June, NBA reporter Kevin O'Connor called Morant overrated, ranking him somewhere in the NBA’s 40th to 50th best player, after backlash from the fanbase for suggesting the team should trade him.
Well, NBA 2K has disagreed as they ranked Ja Morant as the 19th highest rated player on the game with a 91 overall rating. He also ranked in the top three in various categories, including driving dunk (2nd), speed with the ball (2nd), and ball handling (3rd). All the positive press and praise Morant is getting will only increase the pressure he will have going into next season.
The Grizzlies have laid the path for Morant to display his greatness
Injuries have slowed Morant's stardom more than anything, but the Grizzlies' offensive system didn't utilize him as such for the majority of last season. Former coach Taylor Jenkins implemented a system that took the ball out of his hands and nearly eliminated the pick-and-roll before he was fired for Tuomas Iisalo.
After the coaching switch last season, Morant's averages jumped from 22.3 points to 28.4 points per game, which coincided with Zach Edey's screens increasing from 13 per game under Jenkins to 30 per game under Iisalo. The Ja Morant the Grizzlies saw to finish last season is the one they will need to carry that momentum into next season.
Morant's best season saw him average 27.4 points per game, so keeping his pace to end last season will surpass that, which was a season where he made an All-Star appearance, 2nd team All-NBA, and finished 7th in MVP voting, and won the NBA's Most Improved award. The Grizzlies' roster might be expected to take a step back after trading Desmond Bane, but it can take a step forward if he returns to his high-level form.
The roster is built around his skillset with the additions of 3-and-D guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Sixth Man of the Year Finalist Ty Jerome, and promising rookie wing Cedric Coward. The path is set for Morant to regain control as the leader of the franchise; now it is up to him to take them to heights never seen.