Grizzlies guard Ja Morant on Thursday was named the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year, Pelicans sensation Zion Williamson placed third in the voting.
Morant became the second Grizzlies player to win the award, following Pau Gasol (2001-02) after receiving 99 first-place votes and 498 points total.
NBA AWARD FINALISTS: Major honors announced
The second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft finished ahead of the Heat's Kendrick Nunn (204 points) and No. 1 pick Williamson (140), who was hampered by a knee injury.
Morant helped the Grizzlies reach the play-in game at Walt Disney World Resort in August. He averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game during the regular season.
ROY, Ya feel me? @MichelobULTRA | #JAMorant pic.twitter.com/xWkSP4NK2D
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) September 3, 2020
The 21-year-old also had 15 double-doubles and was the only rookie this season to record two triple-doubles.
Morant joined Oscar Robertson (1960-61), Magic Johnson (1979-80), Isiah Thomas (1981-82), Damon Stoudamire (1995-96), Allen Iverson (1996-97) and Trae Young (2018-19) as one of seven rookies in NBA history to average at least 17.0 points per game and 7.0 assists per game.