Ja Morant Is ‘MVP Right Now,’ Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. Says

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. called teammate Ja Morant the NBA’s MVP right now in an interview with Tyler R. Tynes of GQ Magazine.

“He’s MVP right now,” Jackson said in response to Tynes asking him whether he thought Morant was the NBA’s best player:

“I know you guys like all those discussions and everything, but if he’s your MVP then we up right now! If he’s MVP, I’m pullin’ up to the crib and we goin’ crazy. I’m not even gonna ask him first, either. His gate code crazy, too. I don’t even know it, but I’ll figure it out when I get there. And then I’m on his ass! MVP, even younger than D-Rose [Derrick Rose, who was 22 years and 191 days old when he won MVP].”

It’s easy to make a case for Morant, who is averaging 26.3 points, 6.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game for a 36-18 Grizzlies team that owns the NBA’s third-best record.

He’s been the catalyst for the team’s massive turnaround. Memphis barely snuck into the playoffs after going 38-34 last year, finishing ninth in the Western Conference before earning a postseason berth through the play-in tournament.

This year’s Grizzlies may eclipse last season’s win total by the mid-February All-Star Break. They’re on fire—after starting 9-10, they’ve since gone 27-8.

The latest FanDuel Sportsbook odds have Morant fifth on the ledger at +1000 ($100 bet to win $1,000).

He’s got some tough competition with the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry all ahead of him.

However, Morant has more pressing matters at hand as he attempts to guide the Grizzlies to a deep playoff run and perhaps their first NBA championship in franchise history.