Ja Morant, Murray State
Anyone with the name ‘Ja’ has certainly taken a hit over the past year. While this is primarily to do the international doofus Ja Rule, it’s hard to escape the downfalls of a fellow Ja when you share the same unique name. But don’t fear, Ja Morant is here to lift up the Ja community.
The Murray State phenom has taken the collegiate basketball world by storm this year, dominating against all competition he’s faced. Currently, Morant is averaging a preposterous 24.6 points and 10 assists per game, consistently racking up lofty statistics and W’s.
Much to the chagrin of fans of tanking NBA teams, Morant has the opportunity to display his electrifying game to the nation against Marquette on Thursday. His gifts will likely pop off the screen the second you tune in to watch him, and boy, does he have a lot of them.
Morant’s end-to-end speed is the most impressive in a prospect since De’Aaron Fox. Following a defensive rebound or outlet to the shifty point guard, he sprints down the court like Sonic the Hedgehog and gets right to the rim. When going up for layups, Morant is able to finish efficiently with either hand, as seen in his ludicrous 57.4 two-point percentage. If a defender goes up to contest one of his layups, he can contort his body like a gymnast and finish at any given unfathomable angle. In comparison, Russell Westbrook, one of the league’s most feared attackers of the rim, averaged 49.7 percent on two-pointers at the same age.
His off-ball defensive potential is noteworthy as well. Due to his explosiveness and quick-twitch ability, Morant can deceptively jump passing lanes (2 steals per 40), often resulting in jaw-dropping dunks at the other end. As a plus, he even gets up for a weakside rejection now and then (0.9 blocks per 40), which will benefit any NBA team looking for extra help defense. Similarly to De’Aaron Fox, Morant effortlessly slithers around screens due to his thin frame and quick feet, which will make life easier for his teammates defending the screener at the next level.
However, despite his abundantly clear defensive abilities, one area to focus on throughout the tournament is how Morant competes against larger players. While he possesses extreme length for the position, the explosive guard needs to add a substantial amount of muscle in order to hold his own in the post. If forced to switch during March Madness, key in on how he manages guarding bigs down low. Some point guards fold in these types of situations, but Morant’s infinite motor and extreme competitiveness suggest he wouldn’t ever back down from a challenge.
In addition to the questions around his switching ability, another area of Morant’s game that needs work is his shooting. This season he is averaging 33.6 percent from 3, but this will likely decrease if he doesn’t make adjustments to his form. His shooting elbow rears to the right, somewhat similar to Austin Rivers, yet nowhere near as exaggerated.
However, unlike Rivers, who averaged 65.8 percent on free throws during his lone season at Duke, Morant shoots an impressive 81 percent from the line. This stat indicates the fact that there is sufficient touch in his shooting motion, which creates optimism that his other percentages can drastically increase with hard work at the next level.
Furthermore, Morant’s 33.6 percent from 3 is in large part a result of constant blitzes on screens and constant attempts off-the-dribble from behind the arch. If a defender goes under a screen, he correctly shoots with no hesitation whatsoever. This is what separates him from other point guards who struggle shooting, such as Rajon Rondo, Westbrook, and John Wall.
While their percentages may resemble each other’s, Morant doesn’t disrupt his team’s offensive flow by hesitating to shoot when a golden look presents itself. As a result, defenders are forced to close out hard on him, allowing him to upfake, drive to the basket, and get a bucket.
Unlike R.J. Barrett, who possesses multiple worrisome factors to his game, it appears as though Ja Morant will be able to easily improve upon his flaws with proper training. This tournament will provide him with the perfect opportunity to silence the doubters and improve his draft stock.