Marcus Smart Shares Honest Thoughts on Ja Morant

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has the support of his new teammate

Marcus Smart was introduced as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies for the first time on Friday, and shared some additional thoughts on his new teammate Ja Morant.

"Ja is a very special player, very special player, and he's very important to the team," Smart said. "For us to do anything great, we're going to need Ja, and we're going to need Ja to be the best he can be. So for me as a competitor, I love to push guys to the limit, especially a guy who's great."

Expected to emerge as a leader for this Grizzlies team, Smart knows that's not something that will come right away. Admitting that he needs to earn the team's trust, Smart said the following:

"I've got to earn these guys' trust. In Boston, I was there. I was the longest-tenured guy. I grew up with those guys. Here, I'm a new face coming in, although I have some experience on me. But as competitors, you see a new guy coming in, guys aren't just going to give me their attention right away. They're going to have to earn it. And that's what I expect to do."

A leader on and off the court in Boston, Smart understands that doesn't automatically transfer over to his new team. Committed to doing all he can to help the Grizzlies win, Smart should be a great fit in Memphis.

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