Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant came to league in 2019 and he got two All-Star appearances so far. Anthony Edwards arrived in 2020 but he go three. Has he been overtaken by the Minnesota Timberwolves? Analyst and former NBA player Kendrick Perkins seems to think so and he has the Memphis front office to blame.
Edwards was not only named mentioned by Perkins. He also brought up New York Knicks star Luka Doncic who came to the NBA a year earlier than Morant but is already a star and a playoffs riser.
Perkins said Morant, with his athleticism, was in the running for the next Face of the NBA title but now, his career has fallen off, no thanks to the franchise handling his career.
“Two, three years ago, we were having conversations about you being the next face of the NBA,” Perkins said.
“And this is some real s***. ESPN went down to Memphis for a week and did an all-access, not just because of Jaren Jackson Jr. and all that. No, because of Ja Morant and now it’s time for you to win some of your fans back, I’m one of them because he used to be my favorite player.
“That is now Anthony Edwards and Big Body Brunson at times. But now also can you carry this organization. No one is expecting a damn thing for the Memphis Grizzlies, but Ja can change that narrative.”
Did Ja Morant’s career fall off?
Was there any truth that Morant’s career fell off? His numbers dipped since the 2021-2022 season when he averaged his career high of 27.4 points per game. The number of games he played in the last two seasons is also worrying, having played just a total of 59 games.
This is mostly because of the injuries he suffered in the last two seasons plus the legal issues and controversies he got himself in, leading to a lengthy suspension.
A player can only be considered Face of the League if he is present from the regular season to the postseason. The farthest he’s reach so far in the playoffs so far is second round. Both Edwards and Brunson already reached their respective conferences’ finals.
Ja’s 2025-26 debut will be delayed, another setback he’ll have to deal with. Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said he suffered an ankle sprain and will be evaluated week to week.
For the latest Basketball Content
Make sure you are always updated on your favorite basketball players and teams. Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for the latest and trending news about NBA, college basketball, and more. Stay updated by reading more of our NBA articles by clicking here and college basketball by clicking here!
