Dez Bryant Dishes On 'Faces of the NBA' Luka, Zion & Ja

The NBA season is on hold, but the appreciation for what we aren't getting to watch is allowing us great analysis of what we're missing. And Dez Bryant, the former Dallas Cowboys receiver who fancies himself an almost-basketball star, is helpful with the analysis.

Bryant's online praise of Memphis rookie Ja Morant is making the rounds right now, and for good reason.

LOVE 💪🏽 https://t.co/xyw9HsNlmP
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) April 9, 2020

Morant was obviously flattered when Dez wrote, "You different....will soon be the face of the NBA league..watch...you play like you belong there. Remind of AI + Kobe = Ja.''

That's about the highest praise possible. ... Allen Iverson plus Kobe Bryant? It all adds up to Ja being a big favorite to win 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year, presumably over power forward Zion Williamson.

Some fans are taking Dez to task for a too-fast/too-soon comparison. Others, who are understandably Dallas Mavericks-centric, are wondering why Dez would elevate Ja this way without having done the same for DFW's own Luka Doncic.

Ah, but Bryant has done that for Luka. And he's done it for Zion as well, visiting with DallasBasketball.com after the recent Pels at Mavs game to analyze the play of Doncic (last season's Rookie of the Year and this season an MVP candidate) and of Zion.

Dez that night offered a scouting report on Luka (and his "beyond his years'' basketball IQ) and his scouting report on Zion ("he makes it look so easy'') and his thoughts on the game, a thrilling 127-123 Mavs win in OT in which Doncic set a franchise-record for triple-doubles and fellow Dallas star Kristaps Porzingis was right there with him in terms of production.

The real message here: Ja Morant is one of the faces of the future of the NBA.