Last season was a disaster for the Memphis Grizzlies. They suffered many injuries, most notably to star Ja Morant, who only appeared in nine games. Furthermore, they finished with a 27-55 record and finished with the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference. This was their worst season since finishing the 2017-18 campaign with a 22-60 record. Considering that they ended the prior season with 51 wins as the No. 2 seed, this was a tough campaign for them. However, things may look different for this upcoming season.
During his appearance at Media Day on Monday, Morant spoke about his outlook for this season. As he prepares to return from his devastating injury, the guard hopes to get the Grizzlies back to where they were just a couple of seasons ago. At Media Day, Morant said his main focus is being happy, which he believes may scare a lot of other NBA teams.
Honestly, I’m not even worried about proving them wrong. Right now, I’m happy and that’s my main focus. I feel like a happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people. So, long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season,” Morant said.
Ja Morant Says Why NBA Should Be Scared of Memphis Grizzlies
Why Ja Morant Is Essential to the Grizzlies’ Success
Because of his injury and off-the-court problems over the last year, many seem to have forgotten just how good Morant truly is. In his last full season, the Murray State alum averaged 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Furthermore, he made it to his second All-Star team and finished 12th in MVP voting. Morant remains one of the top young guards in the NBA. Additionally, he has shown he can lead a team to the top of the standings.
The rest of the Western Conference is competitive. It will prove difficult for the Grizzlies to beat out a lot of other legitimate title contenders. However, with Morant back on the court, he should make things a lot easier for the rest of the team.
The Makings of “A Better Ja”
Morant also spoke about how all of his experiences helped him become a better person. According to Jason Munz of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Morant spoke about turning “into a better Ja.”
“Everything I’ve been through, I wanna remember that feeling I felt each time, no matter what situation it was,” Morant said. “I feel like it helped me a lot, it helped me grow more into a better Ja. Right now, you know, I’m probably the happiest I feel like I’ve been in a while. You know just having my family, my AAU team, and the little things I was doing to keep me going and that makes me happy being able to do it this offseason – catching up with a lot of my family has been good.”
As he prepares for his sixth season in the league, Morant will likely begin tackling a bigger leadership role. This will prove crucial for both himself and the Grizzlies as they aim to prove they are legitimate title contenders.
