Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out basketball writers for putting Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies on the Most Improved Player ballot.
Throughout the NBA Playoffs, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies has shown that he is one of the top young stars in the league. He was a hero during the team’s first-round series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he is looking to do the same against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
As Game 2 took place on Tuesday, May 3, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called Morant a “flat out star” and that he should not have been in the Most Improved Player of the Year talks. That is when he took aim at “dweebs.”
LeBron James goes off on “dweeb” writers for not giving Ja Morant respect
Morant receiving the Most Improved Player of the Year award did seem odd for some, considering the year prior he averaged 19.1 points and 7.4 assists through 63 games. Yet, that is what happened, as Morant received 38 first-place votes to win the award over Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs and Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Grizzlies star became the first player in NBA history to win both Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player.
Entering the playoffs, Morant put up an average of 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds through 57 games. The third-year player shot 49.3-percent from the field and 34.4-percent from the three-point line.
Through the first two quarters of Game 2 against the Warriors, Morant scored 25 points (7-for-12 from field), dished out five assists and recorded two steals.
All LeBron wanted to do was ask to put some respect on Morant’s name.