8 NBA stars who will be playing under immense pressure to deliver in 2024-25

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

After missing essentially all of last season because of an early-season suspension and then injury, Ja Morant has been out of the limelight for more than a year now. To assume that he's going to resurrect the Memphis Grizzlies right away would be quite the expectation. Morant is going to have to play his way back into the good graces of both the league as a whole and Grizzlies fans. Similarly, Memphis is going to have to work to find its way back among the elites in the Western Conference.

Their spot in the top 8 of the conference is not just going to be given to them; they're going to have to fight for it. And it will all begin with Morant. He's expected to set the tone for the rest of the team. And if the Grizzlies do leave much to be desired this season, Morant will be the one player who assumes the blame.

Because of that, it's safe to say that Morant has a ton of pressure on his shoulders heading into the start of the season.