2019 NBA Mock Draft: March Madness is NBA Draft crazy season
player. 66. . PG. Murray State. Ja Morant. 2
We saw Morant shoot the ball better than he ever has against Florida State in the second round on Saturday. He was launching off the dribble as the Seminoles went under screens and, in an outlier performance, most of them went in. Here’s The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks on what Morant flashed against Florida State:
"“His growth as a shooter and a defender will determine the ceiling of the NBA team that drafts him. His strong play in the NCAA tournament may have solidified him as a top-3 selection in this year’s draft, where point guard-needy teams like the Suns and the Bulls could be picking, depending on how the lottery shakes out. “Morant has to play defense and spot up if he’s sharing a backcourt with Devin Booker or Zach LaVine. How players fit together is an important consideration when it comes to building through the draft, and Morant may not have the luxury of coming to a team with no other building blocks in place. He will have to round out his game if he moves into a more complementary role early in his NBA career.”"
As Tjarks mentions, Morant’s fit with Booker is not perfect. The Suns’ guard has learned a lot over the past two years about how to manipulate defenses with the ball in his hands. He just scored 59 points by getting defenders in jail, drawing fouls, and finishing at the rim. Morant operating in the pick-and-roll 30 times per game would change Booker’s role drastically.
The pair’s fit will take time. But the Suns’ owner scouted Morant personally during the OVC Tournament and he’s the clear No. 2 prospect here.