Ja Morant Questions NBA GMs for Listing Him As Preseason Candidate for Award

Karl Rasmussen | Oct 9, 2024

Memphis Grizzlies guards Grizzlies' Ja Morant and GG Jackson II talk on the bench during practice at FedExForum. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the 2024-25 NBA season just around the corner, preseason predictions have begun to make their way to social media timelines across all platforms. One in particular stood out to Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant as he prepares to embark on his sixth NBA season.

The NBA TV social media account posted a graphic from a recent survey of GMs, in which they asked what player was most likely to be this season's biggest breakout star.

Strangely, Morant finished tied for second in the running, garnering 10% of the vote, on par with Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers and just behind Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams.

Morant couldn't help but wonder how he was even a candidate to be a breakout player, having already featured in two All-Star Games and received MVP votes in two different seasons.

He chimed in on X, asking (respectfully, of course) why he was featured on the list.

respectfully .. why i’m on here? 🤦🏾‍♂️

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) October 9, 2024

It's hard to imagine Morant being able to break out more than he's already done. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2019-20, he averaged 27.4 points per game in his third year as a pro and was an All-Star in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

He only appeared in nine games last year and has played in a total of 70 games over the last two seasons combined. That would seemingly make him more of a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, rather than a potential breakout star.

Morant and the Grizzlies tip their season off on the road against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 23, at which point the star guard is surely hoping to be more in the hunt for an MVP than recognition as a breakout player.

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