Ja Morant: It Took Me Averaging 35 To Get All-Star Recognition

[RealGM Wiretap]

Ja Morant believes people have been too slow to consider him an All-Star caliber player. 

“I feel like it took me averaging 35 points a game to finally get some All-Star recognition,” Morant told Yahoo Sports. “But, I really can’t speak too much on that. I feel like my chip will never leave.”

Morant came into Wednesday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers averaging 35 points per game.

“I was in position to be an All-Star my first two years and didn’t make it. That bothered me a lot,” Morant told Yahoo Sports. “So I just stopped focusing on that and just focusing on my play. I’m a winner, and that’s the main goal. If I do that, everything else will take care of itself. I just got to control what I can control and that’s my play on the floor.” 

Morant went No. 2 in the draft behind Zion Williamson and went on to win Rookie of the Year. 

“I’m just happy that I got picked where I’m at right now,” Morant told Yahoo Sports. “I love the Grizzlies organization, I love the fans. If I went back to that draft, I hope I go No. 2 again.”

Via Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports

[Dennis 37]

He doesn't play for a Christmas Day team. Raptors know all about that. The league doesn't care about you unless you are playing Christmas Day.

Besides, you don't need no stinkin' badges.

[NYKnickerbocker]

Definitely wasn’t all star caliber your 1st two seasons buddy. Especially not in the west with Seth, Fox, Dame, Luka, CP3, booker, george, Mitchell, Murray etc at the guard position.

[njknicks]

3 holes in morant's games :

1) lack of consistency from long range ( seems to have worked on that in the offseason )
2) durability / constantly injured ( hopefully his offseason regimen corrected that )
3) turnover prone ( improved decision making will develop along with the growth of the young Grizzlies squad )

[TimeisIllmatic]

He doesn't play for a Christmas Day team. Raptors know all about that. The league doesn't care about you unless you are playing Christmas Day.

Besides, you don't need no stinkin' badges.

Yeah I feel like these guys care too much about that stuff. Just do you. Whoever appreciates you, will appreciate you.

[antonac]

I don't know why so many athletes have to play this insecure chip on their shoulder guy.

Mind you, everyone seemed to eat up Damian Lillard's constant whining and complaining about how disrespected he was so it obviously works.

keep at it Ja, can't wait to hear your thoughts on players teaming up.

[Cassius]

The only reason why the chip is justified, IMO, is that ALL-NBA (and I believe All-star) selections have a pretty drastic impact on extension values per the CBA. The money is always ludicrous, but that's all relative to these guys.

[jefe]

3 holes in morant's games :

1) lack of consistency from long range ( seems to have worked on that in the offseason )
2) durability / constantly injured ( hopefully his offseason regimen corrected that )
3) turnover prone ( improved decision making will develop along with the growth of the young Grizzlies squad )

I'll give you 1 and 3, but relative to 2: Ja played 67 and 63 games, respectively, in his first two pandemic-shortened years.

[HotelVitale]

I like pride and confidence in young NBA players but this is nothing but that. He averaged like 19/7 on crappy efficiency before the AS break last year, and his team was sub-.500. He's talking like he's always been a superstar and the world was ignoring him, instead of that he just started playing like a dominant dude end of last year and so is now getting the attention that type of play merits.

[Scalabrine]

He doesn't play for a Christmas Day team. Raptors know all about that. The league doesn't care about you unless you are playing Christmas Day.

Besides, you don't need no stinkin' badges.

What does Toronto have anything to do with this???

Toronto has had Lowry, Derozan, Leonard, Siakam all as All-Stars in the past few years. They are a massive market with plenty of fan support and recognition.

[Dennis 37]

He doesn't play for a Christmas Day team. Raptors know all about that. The league doesn't care about you unless you are playing Christmas Day.

Besides, you don't need no stinkin' badges.

What does Toronto have anything to do with this???

Toronto has had Lowry, Derozan, Leonard, Siakam all as All-Stars in the past few years. They are a massive market with plenty of fan support and recognition.

And they would have had more if the franchise was located in L.A.

During the DeRozan years, home many times were the Raptors sitting in first place in the Atlantic Division, and/or the Eastern Conference and still did not get a Christmas Day invite? If they were located in L.A. they would have been there every year.

[Scalabrine]

He doesn't play for a Christmas Day team. Raptors know all about that. The league doesn't care about you unless you are playing Christmas Day.

Besides, you don't need no stinkin' badges.

What does Toronto have anything to do with this???

Toronto has had Lowry, Derozan, Leonard, Siakam all as All-Stars in the past few years. They are a massive market with plenty of fan support and recognition.

And they would have had more if the franchise was located in L.A.

During the DeRozan years, home many times were the Raptors sitting in first place in the Atlantic Division, and/or the Eastern Conference and still did not get a Christmas Day invite? If they were located in L.A. they would have been there every year.

Okay yes, LA and NY are the two markets that get more recognition, sure, no denying that. Is that what you are arguing, though?