Grizzlies Land 2nd Pick in 2019 NBA Draft, Could Choose Ja Morant

The New Orleans Pelicans were the big winner of the 2019 NBA draft lottery, but the Memphis Grizzlies also had reason to celebrate after landing the No. 2 overall selection.

While Duke forward Zion Williamson is the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 overall, the Grizzlies could still end up with a game-changing player at No. 2 in point guard Ja Morant.

Even with Mike Conley under team control for at least another season, Memphis would be smart to draft Morant as its point guard of the future with the second overall selection.

Morant took advantage of the spotlight of the NCAA tournament, leading Murray State to a first-round upset over Marquette while posting a triple-double with 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds.

He also had one of the biggest highlights of the entire tournament with this huge dunk:

His team couldn't advance to the Sweet 16, but he still scored 28 points while shooting 5-of-6 from three-point range in a second-round loss to Florida State.

Although the NCAA tournament was many fans' first chance to see Morant, he was a star throughout the year for the Racers. The sophomore point guard averaged 24.5 points, a nation-high 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds across 33 games.

He was the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a season since assists became an official stat in 1983-84, per SportsCenter.

Standing 6'3" with good athleticism and elite vision, Morant has the tools to continue this level of production once he gets to the NBA.

The Grizzlies will likely have several good options at No. 2, including Duke wing RJ Barrett and two-way players Jarrett Culver and De'Andre Hunter, but Morant likely has the most upside of anyone in the class other than Williamson.

Pairing him with 2018 No. 4 overall pick Jaren Jackson Jr. could create an impressive young core for Memphis as it tries to return to playoff contention in a hurry.

The Grizzlies have plenty of time to finalize a decision before the draft on June 20, but Morant should be an early favorite for the second overall selection.