Congratulations to Ja Morant ; 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year
Check out the original post at Wolfgang Sports
OK so he hasn’t officially won NBA ROTY honors, yet, so I am jumping the gun. But it is universally unanimous (unless you're Kendrick Nunn that is) that Ja Morant will be crowned the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Morant leads all rookies in total scoring (1041), field goals (393), assists (6.9) and also averages 3.5 rebounds per game.
He averaged 17.6 points per game and miraculously played the Grizzlies back into NBA relevancy.
He even helped the Grizzlies to 8th position in the Western Conference. This was a team that was supposed to be in full rebuild mode.
Ja ranked 11th in clutch shooting (field goal % in the final five minutes of games) by scoring 28-for-52 at almost 54%. This was instrumental for the Grizzlies setting themselves up for what was to be a playoff spot.
Related: Why Ja Morant can become a cultural icon ; a generational talent in the making
Morant had such a season that he’s become a cult hero and proved that he has the makings of a true generational talent.
He made the cover of Slam magazine, twice!
Ja has also attracted national attention to the smallest market in American Major Pro Sports outside of Buffalo and Green Bay-Appleton.
The least most valuable franchise in the entire NBA actually matters again.
One of the most promising things about Morant?
He just keeps on learning at a quick rate according to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. If his ceiling is indeed limitless, well we’ve got a lot to look forward to.
"There’s so much he’s learned. He’s got that ultra-confidence and it permeates throughout the team when he gets going.”
Why Zion Williamson misses out
When Zion Williamson was healthy, he was explosive. He leads all rookies in points per game (23.6), ranks second for total rebounds per game (6.8) and also dished out 2.2 assists per game.
Only Joel Embiied, Wilt Chamberlain and Zion himself averaged more than 28 points and 10 rebounds per 36 in a rookie season.
He also set the record for most consecutive 20-point games by a rookie in history (13) and he’s still a teenager.
Zion missed 44-games though.
If he played a lot more than the 19-games he played we'd all be having a different conversation.
And although Zion bettered Morant in points per game (23.6), Morant played more than three times the amount of games (59) for the Grizzlies than Zion had for the Pelicans.
There just simply isn’t enough games on the board for Zion to win ROTY.
Why Kendrick Nunn misses out
Nunn recently proclaimed himself as the ROTY.
“I’m Rookie of the Year. I think people will say that [Morant] is Rookie of the Year, but I don’t believe it. The most value should be in the wins. And we’re both starting guards on teams, and our team has been holding it down. We’re a playoff team, so go ahead and give that Rookie of the Year to Kendrick Nunn.”
We can’t bemoan Nunn’s overconfidence with what he's overcome.
He went undrafted in 2018 and spent the entire 2018-19 season in the G League.
The Heat decided to take a chance on him, signing him on the final day of last season. He took the opportunity and became starting shooting guard for the Heat.
Nunn averaged 15.6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 62 games, ranking second among all rookies in total scoring (97), second in field goals (381) and second in 3-pointers (131) just behind Coby White.
While his season and narrative have been truly remarkable, it just isn’t enough when comparing it to Ja.
Why Brandon Clarke misses out
The Grizzlies picked up Clarke with the 21st pick of the 2019 draft by moving up two spots and trading their second round pick.
There wasn’t much hype for a forward who was perceived as lacking positional size, an unreliable jump shot and a rookie who was going to turn 23 years old.
To the surprise of many, he’s backed up one of the single strongest seasons in college basketball history to become the steal of the draft.
Among qualified rookies, Clarke ranked second behind Zion in the Player Efficiency Ratings by averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting at 62% from the field from 22 minutes per game.
Brandon Clarke has had a fantastic season but his numbers aren't a threat to what Morant has thrown up.
So when did Ja truly cement his spot as the ROTY?
There isn’t a single moment that would lead to Ja being crowned ROTY. There's just so many of them.
Morant will be crowned ROTY because of his consistent delivery and ability in the clutch.
His 28-for-52 from the field in the final five minutes of games is what cements his spot at the top.
It’s only a matter of time before it becomes a foregone formality so I’ll go ahead and say it again, congratulations to Ja Morant, our 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Check out the original post at Wolfgang Sports
►About Wolfgang Sport
My passion for sports led me to create Wolfgang Sports in 2017 as a way to connect American & British sports culture. My writing is driven by a fascination for sports culture focusing on popular culture, rookie players, data analytics and sports card collecting.