Grizzlies' Morant wins NBA's Most Improved Player award
Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 2021-22 season, the league announced Monday.
Morant claimed 38 first-place votes, barely beating out San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray for the accolade. Only 51 of the 100 ballots included Morant, which led to the close result.
Ja Morant is the first player to win the Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award with the Memphis Grizzlies.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 25, 2022
More ➡️ https://t.co/DGowSmohq5
Voting Results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xRFlJ9dtEW
The high-flying guard is the first winner in Grizzlies franchise history. He's also the first player ever to win the Most Improved and Rookie of the Year awards after picking up the latter title in 2019-20.
In just his third NBA season, the former second overall pick went from a promising young player to a full-fledged superstar, bumping his scoring total from 19.1 points per game last season to 27.4 this campaign. He rounded out his stat line with 5.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest.
Morant's performance pushed the Grizzlies from a play-in team in 2020-21 to the NBA's second-best record at 56-26. The No. 2 seed is currently tied 2-2 in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves.