The lives of sixty young men will change irrevocably in a few short hours when Commissioner Adam Silver steps onto the platform at Barclay’s Center to reveal the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. All of them will have accomplished their most challenging and ambitious lifelong dream: turning pro basketball players. The 19-year-old “point god” Ja Morant, a mid-major at Murray State, is expected to be the second pick overall.
Ja, a former AAU teammate of surefire No. 1 choice Zion Williamson, was not heavily recruited out of high-school, largely owing to his size, or lack thereof. As of right now, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound point guard has become a major player in the NCAA. He finished his sophomore year with 24.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, making him the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a single season since the NCAA began tracking assists in 1983. Since then, he has drawn comparisons to guards Trae Young and D’Angelo Russell for his passing and intelligence, as well as to Russell Westbrook and De’Aaron Fox for their athleticism and explosiveness. He is one of the five or so young hoopers projected to start as a franchise player for their new team—the Memphis Grizzles, in Ja’s case, undoubtedly.
Ja visited the HYPEBEAST office in New York City just two days prior to Thursday’s Draft to discuss his bright future. His professional and humble manner caught our attention right away, since he arrived ahead of most of our staff—a trait we would expect from a seasoned 10-year employee rather than a 19-year-old rookie. Ja walks up to our camera to discuss his style both on and off the court, having just begun his Instagram takeover for Tissot, the newest of many brand partners
“I would characterize my style as smooth,” he declares without holding back. In all honesty, I don’t attempt to be like other people. In addition to wanting to look well in my clothes, I also want others to notice that I know how to mix and match colors. Ja seemed very at ease, wearing an Air Jordan 1 Mid that matched and a “habanero red” Nike (NYSE:NKE +3.90%) golf shirt—a major product push for the company this year. The fit was perfect for the long day of interviews and appearances he had ahead of him, likely the longest of his nascent career.
