Zion Williamson vs. Ja Morant: The Rookie of the Year race is just the beginning
By Nick Alvarez
The ROTY race between Zion Williamson and Ja Morant is just the beginning
Memphis and New Orleans are two cities that are known more for there food rather than their basketball, but it is starting to look like all that is about to change. For a league that has long been dominated by large-market cities, a small-market future seems to be on the horizon.
It all stems from the leaders in this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year race who also happen to be the top two picks from the 2019 NBA Draft: Ja Morant and Zion Williamson.
Before this season hit a hiatus due to COVID-19, the pair had shown to be electric, to say the least. Morant was putting up highlight-worthy plays averaging 17.9 points and 6.9 assists per game while leading Memphis to a 32-33 record, good enough for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
Zion Williamson’s emergence
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Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Zion crashed the season when he arrived after missing the first 44 games due to injury. During the 19 games he played in, Zion was averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. Zion’s emergence also resulted in the Pelicans having one of the most efficient lineups in the league.
"[via The Ringer]Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Zineup: Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Derrick Favors.Together, these five have a stat line of:Offensive rating: 117.9Defensive rating: 91.6Net rating: Plus-26.3"
The future for these two teams is so exciting because it is the start of a new storyline that the NBA will have for the next decade. Morant and Williamson, who were once teammates in the AAU ranks, have something the NBA can market which is the potential for a full-blown rivalry. An uber-athletic guard and an equally athletic forward that are changing their franchises overnight.
Right now while we sit and wait for the season to resume, we all wonder which of these two will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, but I’m wondering much more. Are there going to be future Grizzles-Pelicans Western Conference Finals series? Or better yet, a potential NBA Finals matchup in a 1-16 playoff format? Who wins an NBA MVP first? Who wins an NBA title first?
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We are only at the start of what feels like one of the most exciting budding rivalries in recent NBA history. Morant and Williamson, along with teams’ suave general manager work, could be the blueprint for small-market teams to follow. They could also be the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird-type saviors of small-market teams. Only time will tell.