The 2018-19 season has been nothing short of special for Murray State sophomore Ja Morant. He became the first player in NCAA history to average over 20 points and 10 assists per game while becoming the first AP first-team All-American in school history.
Morant’s college career is seemingly over as the sophomore point guard will declare for the 2019 NBA Draft, according to Shams Canaria of The Athletic.
The South Carolina native will officially declare for the NBA Draft during a press conference. Morant’s decision to enter the NBA Draft is expected as he could be the first non-Duke player taken in 2019. Zion Williamson is the clear favorite to go first, but RJ Barrett and Morant are battling to be taken with the second pick.
Murray State star sophomore Ja Morant — the projected top-2 pick — will declare for the 2019 NBA draft during a press conference today, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2019
Morant is an explosive point guard and has gained comparisons to former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. Both players have an elite combination of speed and athleticism, where they finish at the rim with authority. Morant’s vision is the best in his class by a long shot as he was able to pick apart defenses with his elite floor vision.
His biggest problem is that he tries to do the extraordinary play when a simple play is needed. Morant had 26 turnovers over his final five games, including three straight games with seven turnovers. He is an elite playmaker but is turnover-prone at times.
Morant is the top guard in the 2019 NBA Draft without a doubt and will make a lot of teams at the top of the draft very happy. The Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks are in desperate need of a playmaker from the point guard position, while the Chicago Bulls could use a distributor next to Zach Lavine.
Morant will not be the first Murray State point guard to be drafted in the first round as Cameron Payne was the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The South Carolina native has all the tools to succeed in the NBA and will be one of the first names called in the 2019 NBA Draft.
