76ers vs. Grizzlies: Joel Embiid’s Praise for Ja Morant

The Philadelphia 76ers hosted a star guard duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray on Monday night. When they took a trip to pay a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, Philadelphia faced the dominant Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.

When the Sixers pay a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, they’ll face the budding superstar in Ja Morant.

Every year since being in the NBA, Morant has improved. Through his rookie and sophomore efforts, Morant started in 130 games, averaging 18 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.

Last season, Morant leveled up much further as he put up 27 points per game in 57 outings. So far this year, the high-flying guard is scoring even better and improving in different ways.

Fellow All-Star Joel Embiid acknowledged the stellar play of Morant on Wednesday night. Following a tough loss to the Cavaliers, Embiid was already looking to move on to the Grizzlies matchup for Friday, sending praise Morant’s way in the process.

“He’s so freakin athletic. Sometimes, I think he’s athletic for no reason,” Embiid said with a smile. “He’s hard to guard, especially when he’s coming downhill and attacking the rim. You don’t know what he’s gonna do because he’s so quick. He’s got so much bounce, he can dunk on you, and he’s got a quick floater. He’s shooting the ball well from three, so it’s gonna be a tough matchup.”

Not only is Morant averaging more than ever, putting up 28 points per game, but he’s averaging 47 percent from the field, which is on par with his career average while improving from deep.

Through his first three seasons, Morant shot just 33 percent from three on four attempts per game. This season, he’s averaging five threes per game, nailing 38 percent of them.

Whether he’s heating up from deep or not, Morant’s still a major threat on the court for the Sixers on Friday night. Former Grizz player De’Anthony Melton will be tasked with guarding his old teammate, while Embiid will be the one to protect the rim if the high-flyer takes flight in the paint.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.