Predicting the NBA Awards Pt. 2 - Rookie of the Year

PREDICTION: Ja Morant

MY PICK: Ja Morant

No intro today. I’m too passionate about this topic to waste time on 3 sentences that don’t make a difference to the rest of my article. Ja Morant should be the unanimous Rookie of the Year. Anyone who disagrees is objectively wrong. Ja made an immediate impact on the game and his team in a way that few other rookies have. His 17/3/7 averages don’t do him justice as his ability to read defenses and control games down the stretch can’t be quantified. Ja single handedly turned around a lottery team into a must-watch contender in one year, a feat that most tenured players couldn’t accomplish. He became the clear leader and #1 option within days of his debut through his infectious confidence and alpha mentality.

It’s easy to praise Ja, especially in a year that will be remembered for his emergence. However, I’m perpetually irritated by the obsessive coverage of the human isosceles triangle known as Zion Williamson. It’s not that I don’t think he’s talented, but why does he get those opportunities over Ja? He’s significantly less charismatic both on and off the court and has been inactive for the majority of his professional career. While I don’t fault Zion for his unfortunate injuries, I do question the media’s decision to continue focusing on him which in turn disrespects high-flying chaos that Ja brought to Memphis every night. When you’re risking life, limb, and the future of your career just to jump over Kevin Love for a dunk, you deserve all possible attention.

I’ll go ahead and say this now, anyone who doesn’t vote for Ja as ROTY should have their voting license revoked on the spot. There is no fathomable argument against him winning. A vote for Zion is a transparent move to elevate his unearned stardom and not for the actual purpose of the award. Regardless of my overly dramatic rant, I do expect Ja to win this award fairly decisively. Unanimous or not, he and the Grizzlies organization deserve it. But the scenario of Zion swooping in to steal the title from him will forever haunt me until the awards are officially announced. Sports, Zion voters, NBA Twitter, and the internet itself will never recover from my wrath if that happens.

If you can’t tell, I’m a Grizzlies fan. The team finally has something good going for them and I want them to get all the recognition they can for it. Don’t be surprised if we see a huge leap from Ja when the NBA returns next Thursday. He’s allegedly put on 12 pounds over quarantine and has had time to study film and schemes for his upcoming opponents. Consider the restart to be the beginning of his sophomore year. If you’re a fan of another team, be very afraid. If you’re indecisive, join the bandwagon before it begins. Memphis will accept you with open arms.