Temetrius "Ja" Morant

[King Ken]

Hamilton just called Ja the best player in the country and he played Zion 2 times.

[awkwardlycool]

Hamilton just called Ja the best player in the country and he played Zion 2 times.

Saw that too. He must've forgot...

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[clyde21]

Hamilton just called Ja the best player in the country and he played Zion 2 times.

troll

[Illmatic12]

Ja ever dunk off 1 foot in a game?

Seems to be mostly all 2-feet which makes me think he’s not really close to being on that Rose/Westbrook/Wall tier athletically. Below D Fox too.

Those first 3 guys came into the league much more explosive and heavier . Fox was skinny but a speed demon and fearless finisher against high-end NCAA talent

I feel like Ja needs a wider/solid frame to be able to play his style of game in the NBA. He’s not actually a great finisher at the rim by the numbers, which is worrisome considering he is rarely ever going against legit NBA-level rim protectors.

Generally speaking Morant seems like he doesn’t like physical contact . Idk how that will play out at the NBA level. I thought Trae Young was similar, but his toughness is underrated and he’s very crafty at foul drawing. Plus his jumpshot threat really allows him to create space if you try to body him.

Morant wants to play like Westbrook/Wall but has the physique of Jeff Teague.

It's called lacking core strength. The most fixable flaw a basketball player can have. No he's not built like Wall or Westbrook but he also has significant skill advantages over both coming out.

Well yes, but Morant is fundamentally not a good jumper off 1 foot which significantly limits his finishing ability.
Different players have different types of athleticism, I don't know that Morant has that elite athleticism & power at the rim

[clyde21]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

[Dat2U]

Those first 3 guys came into the league much more explosive and heavier . Fox was skinny but a speed demon and fearless finisher against high-end NCAA talent

I feel like Ja needs a wider/solid frame to be able to play his style of game in the NBA. He’s not actually a great finisher at the rim by the numbers, which is worrisome considering he is rarely ever going against legit NBA-level rim protectors.

Generally speaking Morant seems like he doesn’t like physical contact . Idk how that will play out at the NBA level. I thought Trae Young was similar, but his toughness is underrated and he’s very crafty at foul drawing. Plus his jumpshot threat really allows him to create space if you try to body him.

Morant wants to play like Westbrook/Wall but has the physique of Jeff Teague.

It's called lacking core strength. The most fixable flaw a basketball player can have. No he's not built like Wall or Westbrook but he also has significant skill advantages over both coming out.

Well yes, but Morant is fundamentally not a good jumper off 1 foot which significantly limits his finishing ability.
Different players have different types of athleticism, I don't know that Morant has that elite athleticism & power at the rim

He's quick twitch and explosive in tight spaces. I think this is a weak argument. De'Aaron Fox had the exact same issue for the exact same reason when he was coming out.

[Eskobar13]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

Can he though?

Don't mean to interject in a conversation with way more knowledgeable people, but everytime I see him he struggles finishing and the one-foot thing is definitely important. I know they're different players, but just look at Lonzo ball and see how important that ability is.

I can't honestly remember an elite NBA guard who wasn't either a supreme shooter or able to finish in tight spaces of one foot as well as two.

[Nazrmohamed]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

Its nitpicking at the highest level which is fine. Nobody doubts he'll be good but the fact that we're reduced to nitpicking at this level just means hes an awesome player.
What are the chances at his mid major school that hes getting Chris Brickley caliber skill drill or physical therapy and all that stuff. In other words the few things I'm seeing people question can be fixed. Idk his desire to get better....could be I just dont know.

[ellobo]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

IIRC, this was actually an issue for Donovan Mitchell coming out of college too, and was a reason he was not a great finisher around the rim.

Evidently it's something the Utah coaches worked with him on after the draft and through summer league into his rookie year, and something he put a lot of work into to not instinctively default to always going up off two feet.

Dominique Wilkins was the best two-footed finisher I've ever seen, and it was never something that held him back. If a guy is a great finisher off two feet, then it's not necessarily an issue. But if a guy is NOT a good finisher and always goes off two feet, then learning to go off one foot can make a big difference, especially against bigger, more athletic competition.

[wco81]

Does Ja need to be able to shoot with high efficiency from 3 to live up to the hype?

Could his career stall kind of like the way DSJ's career has stalled?

Or will he be as productive as Fox has become in his second season?

[Colbinii]

Does Ja need to be able to shoot with high efficiency from 3 to live up to the hype?

Could his career stall kind of like the way DSJ's career has stalled?

Or will he be as productive as Fox has become in his second season?

Given Maront is above an 80% FT Shooter and Smith was around 70% I would say it is a good sign Morant will be at least a decent shooter in the NBA.

To answer your question, Fox.


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[King Ken]

Does Ja need to be able to shoot with high efficiency from 3 to live up to the hype?

Could his career stall kind of like the way DSJ's career has stalled?

Or will he be as productive as Fox has become in his second season?

His passing and playmaking is his best skill...

[clyde21]

Does Ja need to be able to shoot with high efficiency from 3 to live up to the hype?

Could his career stall kind of like the way DSJ's career has stalled?

Or will he be as productive as Fox has become in his second season?

DSJ's issues have been injuries more than anything...he's constantly out of the lineup dealing with nagging issues.

also Morant shot 36% at almost 5 attempts per game in college with over 81% at the line...he projects to be at least someone that you have to respect shooting from deep which is all what he really needs to unlock the rest of his game.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

IIRC, this was actually an issue for Donovan Mitchell coming out of college too, and was a reason he was not a great finisher around the rim.

Evidently it's something the Utah coaches worked with him on after the draft and through summer league into his rookie year, and something he put a lot of work into to not instinctively default to always going up off two feet.

Dominique Wilkins was the best two-footed finisher I've ever seen, and it was never something that held him back. If a guy is a great finisher off two feet, then it's not necessarily an issue. But if a guy is NOT a good finisher and always goes off two feet, then learning to go off one foot can make a big difference, especially against bigger, more athletic competition.

AFAIK its still an issue with donovan mitchell in the nba. He's not a great at the rim finisher I don't think. @me if I'm wrong but be gentle.

[Stillwater]

Ja remains a high value target but I could see him slipping a couple spots when it's all said and done regardless of how well he plays or if a redraft puts him back at 2 or 3. I mean with clean Medicals Bol could take that spot for any team not CHI or PHO at 2 w/ a couple of others like RJ,Culver and maybe Hayes as better fits for teams with legit pg on the roster.

[clyde21]

this cant jump off one foot stuff is hysterical.

IIRC, this was actually an issue for Donovan Mitchell coming out of college too, and was a reason he was not a great finisher around the rim.

Evidently it's something the Utah coaches worked with him on after the draft and through summer league into his rookie year, and something he put a lot of work into to not instinctively default to always going up off two feet.

Dominique Wilkins was the best two-footed finisher I've ever seen, and it was never something that held him back. If a guy is a great finisher off two feet, then it's not necessarily an issue. But if a guy is NOT a good finisher and always goes off two feet, then learning to go off one foot can make a big difference, especially against bigger, more athletic competition.

AFAIK its still an issue with donovan mitchell in the nba. He's not a great at the rim finisher I don't think. @me if I'm wrong but be gentle.

D-Mitch finishes at 61% rate at the rim so that's definitely pretty good, it's about the same rate as Westbrook more or less.

[King Ken]

I think Ja is a lock at #2. Five teams in the top 7 need a playmaking PG. He honestly has the most trade value in this draft and the most in the last two drafts. Zion like Ayton are untradable. No one is trading those two.

[Stillwater]

I think Ja is a lock at #2. Five teams in the top 7 need a playmaking PG. He honestly has the most trade value in this draft and the most in the last two drafts. Zion like Ayton are untradable. No one is trading those two.

Yeah he could hold the most trade value at 2 esp for PHO moving up from 3 or something. I don't think anyone who is most likely in that range is giving up the #2 for the 4th or after for example though. They would just draft whomever they would have taken at 3 leaving Ja for whomever is at 3 etc if the chance they'd walk away with neither Barrett nor Bol at 4 if they only had 1 of them in that range( Bol bad medicals etc)

[bwgood77]

I do wonder mostly about his level of competition. Isaiah Canaan went to Murray St as well and was two time OVC player of the year. I saw enough of Canaan over the last couple of years.

Then you have Cameron Payne who was also OVC POY like Morant, and had pretty good stats...not quite at Morant level, but better in some areas like only half the turnovers (and about 70% the assists), more steals, better 3 pt shooting..

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=ja-morant--cameron-payne

Though I guess Curry played a similar level of competition, as did Lillard and McCollum, though they were/are all elite shooters, even off the dribble.

[clyde21]

I do wonder mostly about his level of competition. Isaiah Canaan went to Murray St as well and was two time OVC player of the year. I saw enough of Canaan over the last couple of years.

Then you have Cameron Payne who was also OVC POY like Morant, and had pretty good stats...not quite at Morant level, but better in some areas like only half the turnovers (and about 70% the assists), more steals, better 3 pt shooting..

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=ja-morant--cameron-payne

Though I guess Curry played a similar level of competition, as did Lillard and McCollum, though they were/are all elite shooters, even off the dribble.

tourney play against Marquette and Florida St. didn't alleviate those concerns for u?