Recent social media debate further proves why Ja Morant is so special

After his suspension and injury-plagued 2023-24 campaign, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant is looking for redemption.

Once considered a legitimate candidate to take over as the face of the league, after a series of off-field issues and being relegated to the sidelines for all but nine games last season, the 25-year-old has seen his status takes a hit and the value drops dramatically in the eyes of fans and media experts.

Despite this unfortunate fall from grace, some still remember the player excellence Morant displayed throughout his five-year career with the Grizzlies and, most recently, people remembered this when social media account House of Highlights posted a “Start. Bench. Cut” message featuring him, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick Rose on their personal X account.

Coming into the league, Morant was regularly compared to players like Westbrook and Rose because of his uncanny athleticism, blazing speed and rebounding outside of the gym.

During his time with the Grizzlies, he managed to maintain the buzz with his play and accomplishments.

While he may not be an established league MVP (not yet, anyway) like the other two stars mentioned, Morant himself has had a similar career trajectory from an on-court perspective to Rose and Westbrook thus far, which is why many in the comments section noted that while Ja may be their “cut” option, he still has plenty of time left in his career to improve his position.

That should be enough to get any Grind City fan excited about what’s in store for Morant and Memphis in the future.

Since being selected second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant has improved his game and his team’s overall success each season.

After starting his career with a Rookie of the Year win, then over the next four seasons earning a Most Improved Player award, two All-Star selections and an All-NBA nomination, the point guard emerged as one of the game’s brightest talents, averaging a whopping 22.5 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 47.2 percent shooting.

Of course, in addition to his individual accomplishments, Morant’s play led the Grizzlies to historic heights, as he guided the club to the Play-In or NBA Playoffs in every full season he played.

In the last two seasons that he was widely available, Memphis has strung together back-to-back 50-win campaigns, posted back-to-back runner-up finishes and, in 2022, advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for just the fourth time since their inception in 1995.

Now, after a disastrous 27-55 campaign with the rising superstar mostly sidelined, many are planning to see a rebound race of this hungry and somewhat forgotten ball club.

Even after all his struggles, Morant still finds his name associated with the same conversation as two of the game’s greatest guard talents to ever wear their shoes.

Let’s see how far he can go in such a discussion after his 2024-25 return season!