Grizzlies' Rookie Claims Ja Morant Is Most Valuable Player In NBA

Memphis Grizzlies rookie David Roddy stated recently on The Fast Break Podcast that Ja Morant is and should be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Grizzlies' Rookie Claims Ja Morant Is Most Valuable Player In NBA
Grizzlies' Rookie Claims Ja Morant Is Most Valuable Player In NBA /
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Entering Monday’s road game against the Sacramento Kings, the Memphis Grizzlies find themselves with a 31-15 record, the second-best record in the Western Conference and third-best record in the entire NBA.

The growth this young Grizzlies team has made over the years has been tremendous and perhaps the biggest thing that sticks out about this team is that it was built through the NBA Draft.

General manager and executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman has done a fantastic job of assembling the right pieces through the years and there were no questions being asked about who the Grizzlies would select second overall in 2019 when the team took Ja Morant.

Since then, Morant has turned himself into one of the faces of the NBA and he is putting together his best season in the NBA while being the leader of one of the best teams in the league.

Morant will undoubtedly be an All-Star for the second consecutive season and more accolades could be coming his way in the future.

Going from being the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year to being the 2021-22 Most Improved Player, Ja Morant could very much find himself in the running for the 2022-23 MVP award and Grizzlies’ rookie David Roddy thinks Morant is absolutely the best player in this league.

“Yes. Absolutely,” Roddy said in a recent episode of The Fast Break Podcast when asked about if Morant should be the MVP of the league. “He’s just such a special talent and the way he is playing at the rate he is playing, it’s just a sight to see.”

Averaging 27.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game game, Ja Morant has taken his play to new heights this season and he has been one of the most efficient players in the league on the offensive-end of the floor.

“Being on the court with him is such a privilege and I have learned a lot from him. I just try to make his job easier when I can and when I am not on the court with him, I just enjoy the show he puts on,” Roddy went on to say. “He’s just focused on getting better each and every day and figuring out how to make his teammates better. Later in the season, there will definitely be more conversations about it, but he’s a generational talent and his name should be heard and mentioned in those conversations.”

Players like Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) have dominated the MVP conversation during the first half of the season, but Morant absolutely deserves to be in this conversation, especially if he can lead the Grizzlies to the 1-seed in the Western Conference.

How the rest of the 2022-23 NBA season plays out will ultimately determine who will take home the 2022-23 MVP award and as of right now, Morant can make a very compelling argument for himself. 


Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!

Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday. 


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Brett Siegel
BRETT SIEGEL

Brett Siegel worked with Fastbreak on FanNation until May 2023 as a credentialed NBA journalist after previously covering the NBA for NBA Analysis Network and working with Louisville Basketball. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.