Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant
praised Memphis Grizzlies cornerstone Ja Morant as the “face of
our league going forward” before the teams’ meeting Monday night, which ended in a 134-124 Memphis win.
Durant clarified the remark, saying
there’s some competition for that top spot in the NBA, but he noted
Morant is “doing some stuff that we’ve never seen before.”
Morant recorded 38 points, eight
rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 34 minutes for the
Grizzlies, and KD was asked whether the point guard reminded him of
anyone.
“Nobody really,” Durant said. “He’s a unique player. A lot of athleticism and
creativity out there. Body type reminds you of somebody like—well
he’s taller than A.I. [Allen Iverson], but a wiry, strong player …
but he’s an incredible player, man.”
The 23-year-old Murray State product
started to show signs of reaching his full potential last season,
earning his first All-Star selection and the NBA Most Improved Player
Award.
It’s only a four-game sample size, but
the early returns suggest he may take his game up another level in
2022-23. He’s averaged 35.3 points, 7.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0
threes while shooting 54.8 percent from the field during the team’s
3-1 start.
Backcourt running mate Desmond Bane is
also playing at an All-Star pace in the early going, including 38
points of his own in Monday night’s victory.
As a whole, it’s given the Grizzles the
look of a serious threat after finishing second in the Western
Conference last season, and it all starts with Morant.
“He’s an incredible athlete,” Nets point guard Ben Simmons said prior to Monday’s matchup. “He pushes the pace,
gets his team going, shares the ball. He’s relentless at the rim, so
we just got to be physical.”
Morant and Bane combined for 56.7
percent of the Grizzlies’ points (76 of 134) against the Nets in what
became a dual of superstars. Durant and Kyrie Irving put together a
similar performance for Brooklyn, combining to score 74 points.
Memphis will look to continue its
early-season surge when it opens a four-game road trip Thursday night
against the Sacramento Kings.
The post Kevin Durant Heaps Praise on Ja Morant: ‘The Face of Our League Going Forward’ appeared first on Tampa Daily Journal.
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