Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant named 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year

Scott Rafferty

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant named 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year image

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been named this season's Rookie of the Year.

Morant received 99 of a possible 100 first-place votes for the end-of-season award. The only other player to receive a first-place vote? New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Williamson, however, finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting, with Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn finishing second.

Rounding out the top five was Brandon Clarke of the Grizzlies and Coby White of the Chicago Bulls.

Here are the full voting results based on a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters:

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Morant finished the season averaging 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game, leading all rookies in both categories. He led the Grizzlies to a 34-39 record, earning them a spot in the NBA's first-ever play-in tournament. The Grizzlies came up short against the Portland Trail Blazers in the play-in tournament, but Morant impressed with 35 points, making for the highest scoring game of his career thus far.

MORE: Morant is just getting started

Morant is the second player to be named Rookie of the Year with the Grizzlies, joining Pau Gasol, who won the award in 2001-02.

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.