BREAKING: Grizzlies Select Ja Morant With No. 2 Overall Pick
By Michael Luciano
With Mike Conley heading to Utah, Taylor Jenkins and the Memphis Grizzlies are hitting the reset button and building around a young core of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. The electric Murray State point guard has been picked with the No. 2 selection of the 2019 NBA Draft.
With the 2nd pick of the @NBADraft, the @memgrizz select @igotgame_12!#NBADraft 2019 presented by State Farm pic.twitter.com/CICfupA3Yg
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2019
Morant exploded onto the scene this past season with numbers that seem straight out of a video game. With 24.5 points per game and 10.0 assists, he became the first player in college basketball history to average 20 points and 10 dimes per game in a single season.
Morant still needs to work on aspects of his jump shot, but you can't teach his level of raw explosiveness or pinpoint passing. A formerly unranked high school recruit, Morant established himself as the best mid-major prospect we've seen in some time.
Ja Morant shot chart. Electrifying combination of deep range shooting, passing and strong finishing. pic.twitter.com/daDumqzcpD
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 20, 2019
The Grizzlies aren't going to set the world on fire next year, but they are slowly building a terrific young nucleus around Morant and JJJ. A couple of years down the road, expect Morant and the Grizzlies to be in the playoffs.