Nets' Kevin Durant Praises Ja Morant: He's Doing Things 'We've Never Seen Before'

Ja Morant has no comparisons in NBA circles according to Kevin Durant.

The Brooklyn Nets forward lauded Morant on Monday, telling reporters the Memphis Grizzlies star is "doing some stuff that we've never seen before" on a basketball court.

"Nobody really," Durant said when asked for a comparison. "He's a unique player. A lot of athleticism and creativity out there. Body type reminds you of somebody like—well he's taller than [Allen Iverson], but a wiry, strong player ... but he's an incredible player, man."

Morant is off to a stellar start to the 2022-23 season, averaging 34.3 points and 7.0 assists while leading the Grizzlies to a 2-1 record. His relentlessness attacking the rim has thus far been met with an improvement from three-point range, with Morant knocking down 57.1 percent of his threes on 4.7 attempts per game.

Small sample size theater aside, Morant already proved his bona fides as a foundational superstar last season while leading the Grizzlies—a team most picked to be a play-in team—to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference while winning Most Improved Player.

Now firmly in his place as an elder statesman of the NBA, Durant has been open in his praise of the game's younger stars of late. He called Zion Williamson a "one-of-one" player and threw more plaudits Morant's way Monday.

"I've been in the league with [Derrick Rose] and Russell Westbrook, so many athletic guards I'm missing, but those two stick out the most to me," Durant said. "The stuff they were doing was unheard of, and you're seeing other guys doing the same thing. I'm sure he's inspired by those two as well. The league's in a great place."

The Nets visit Memphis on Monday, giving Durant a first-hand look at how Morant will look lined up across his own point guard, Kyrie Irving, and guard-forward Ben Simmons. If the Nets' perimeter defense to start the season is any indication, we'll likely see some more praise for Morant's in postgame comments.