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Why Kevin Durant called Ja Morant 'the face' of the NBA moving forward
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- Why Kevin Durant called Ja Morant 'the face' of the NBA moving forward
Kevin Durant knows greatness when he sees it, and he sees it in Ja Morant .
After Morant torched the Brooklyn Nets Monday night at FedExForum, Durant went out of his way to acknowledge how fast the Memphis Grizzlies star is rising within NBA circles, and how important his ascension is for the NBA.
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"He's the most marketable guy in our league, the face of our league going forward," Durant said. "So many kids are inspired by what he does."
Morant had 38 points in the Grizzlies' 134-124 win over Brooklyn , out-dueling Durant and Kyrie Irving in an early-season, star-studded matchup. He's averaging more than 34 points through four games, elevating his production with a 3-point stroke that appears to be markedly improved.
After earning his first All-Star berth and second team all-NBA status last season, Morant is quickly reinforcing his spot among the elite players in the league.
Durant made his respect for Morant known even before Monday's outburst, calling him "an incredible player" to reporters following the Nets' Monday morning shootaround in Memphis.
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His tone didn't change, even though Morant (and Desmond Bane ) had spoiled his own explosive offensive performance. Durant views Morant, in just his fourth season, as a member of the NBA's superstar club along with him.
"You can tell the changing of the eras in the league as time goes on," Durant said. "The last 10 years, this next 15, you see guys that are in the league right now that are going to help push the game forward. That's really what it's all about. It's not one guy, two guys, three guys that shift or change the game. It's a group of us that do it, and Ja is definitely in that group, for sure."
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Kevin Durant: Ja Morant is 'the face' of the NBA moving forward
