Ja Morant has put an exclamation point on an already impressive sophomore campaign with his two-game NCAA tournament performance. But, Morant’s performance didn’t just provide publicity for Murray State, it provided clarity for the nation. Morant has established himself as the second-best player in the draft.
If you’re still a disciple of RJ Barrett, I recommend you examine your faith. Barrett came into Duke as the less-heralded but more-talented teammate of Zion Williamson. His play swiftly determined that the scouts were very wrong. Williamson has redefined how much praise and attention can be heaped on a prospect at once, while Barrett has wilted in the spotlight.
The numbers are still there no doubt: 23 points, 7.7 rebounds, and four assists per game. The per game averages point towards an All-Star caliber player at the next level. But, watching Barrett play is a different experience. His playstyle is harsh, jarring, and inefficient. Barrett worships at the altar of Kobe Bryant, a master of inefficient long-twos and hoisted contested-jumpers.
The game rarely flows for him, and he seems to search explicitly for shot attempts, rather than let them come naturally. I already documented how his most common player comparison, James Harden, is inaccurate. With 45/30.8/66 splits, it becomes harder and harder to see Barrett succeeding at the expected level in the modern NBA.
Morant, on the other hand, plays seamlessly in the flow of the game, shifting from facilitator to destroyer on a possession by possession basis. He fares better in most averages than Barrett, here are Barrett’s averages again for reference:
Barrett: 23 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists 45/30.8/66
Morant: 24.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10. 2 assists 50.4/34.4/81.4
Let’s look at how Morant fares against Barrett’s numbers in big games (vs. teams seeded 5+ in the NCAA Tournament in the regular season, Power Five teams for Morant, NCAA Tournament games (excluding 16-seeds) or conference tournament).
Barrett ( 12 games): 23.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists on 43.7/31.9/66.6 splits
Morant (6 games): 28.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists on 51.7/38.4/82.5 splits
Notice how Morant’s stats jump across the board, save assists, while Barrett holds steady. This is a small sample size, but it’s still relevant in my opinion in judging how players deal with the big stage. Factor in that Barrett has come up short in the clutch vs. Gonzaga and North Carolina as well.
Morant is beating Barrett everywhere and dealing with maximum attention from opposing defenses. Barrett’s defensive pressure is diluted by the presence of Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, Tre Jones, and other Duke stars. Morant is the singular focus of defenses, and when it really counts, is still beating Barrett. On top of this, Morant is second in PER among underclassmen (31.6), only behind Zion (41.9), and ahead of Barrett at 18th (24). For reference, Giannis’ PER is 30.8, as of March 23.
Don’t let inertia leave Barrett second behind Zion in a mock when he hasn’t done nearly enough to maintain his spot there. Morant is clearly the second-best player in this year’s draft.
Stats from CBBRef current as of 3/24