Ja Morant has been at the center of controversies since last season. First, he was suspended for eight games for brandishing a gun during an Instagram Live. Not learning from his mistakes, Ja was once again suspended, this time for 25 games without pay, for showing a gun in a video circulated online. The suspension was not only detrimental to him but also weighed heavily on his team, the Memphis Grizzlies, who went from being the second-seeded team in the West last year to 13th this season.

However, despite his controversial background, Gilbert Arenas anoints Ja Morant to be the next face of the league after LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

Ja Morant touted as the next face of the league

Former Memphis Grizzlies star Gilbert Arenas believes that the NBA now has more than one superstar to carry the torch and be the face of the league. However, he considers Ja Morant to be the only one who lives up to the actual definition of what it means to be the face of the NBA. “When you’re talking about being the face of something, your game has to match how you sell. The only person whose game matches it—I mean, you’re talking about how he plays it in the air, everything he does—is Ja right? stated Agent Zero in his podcast, Gil’s Arena.

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According to Arenas, big men like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic can never be the face since an average person cannot identify with them. An average kid is more likely to gravitate towards someone like Stephen Curry, a small guard who revolutionized the basketball scene with his three-point shooting, or Ja Morant, a 6’2″ guard known for his high-flying playing style. Arenas divulged, “The average kid right now identifies with one man only, and that’s Ja Morant. Like, when you ask the kids right now who is their favorite player, it’s going to be Steph and Ja Morant.”

However, his off-court antics might overshadow his greatness as a player. His 25-game suspension has inadvertently pushed the Grizzlies to the bottom. Therefore, the hyperathletic guard needs to stay out of trouble if he wants to follow in the footsteps of James and Curry.

Can Ja’s return save the Grizzlies’ season?

Morant’s return is just on the horizon. He will be eligible to play during the Grizzlies game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 19. The Grizzlies are eagerly anticipating his comeback, given his impressive 26.2 points per game last season. His return will alleviate some pressure on Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. and will allow them to go back to their usual roles.

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Therefore, he might just be the piece of the puzzle that can salvage the Grizzlies’ season. However, in addition to his production, he also needs to keep his off-court activities in check so that further suspensions don’t affect his performance.

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