Evaluate how some young point guards have performed in the league this season.
Lamelho Ball and Jamorant were brilliant in the first three weeks of the 2021-22 season.
They haven't even reached the age of 23 yet, but they're already household names. Morant's fluency in fast-breaks is surprising, especially when he finishes the offense under the basket. Lamelo Bauer's talent in passing and attacking is about the same as Morant's.
They both happen to be point guards, which means their duels would theoretically appear regularly on social media and video footage.
What's the good news for the NBA? The league's best young point guard isn't limited to one or two players. There are many young and talented point guards in the league who are waiting for the opportunity to explode. If not this season, it will be next season.
Here are 10 new generation point guards, in no particular order, all of whom are hinting that this season could be a growing season for them, if not a breakthrough season.
Jamorant, Memphis Grizzlies
Is there anyone else in the league who can become a superstar like Morant? Everything about Morant was reinforced in his third season, and this season Morant grew into a truly privileged player – meaning he had box office appeal and the ability to improve the team's rankings. Players like him are special in this regard and are hard to find. He has the opportunity to be at the top of the league in terms of points and assists, and the amazing factor is not on the table. Despite weighing just 175 pounds, no one can explain how Morant constantly challenges and blocks big players.
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Last Sunday's game against the Celtics, he hit an overly difficult, gripping, winning shot. Doncic's performance was not surprising, though, and the composure he showed late in the game was gradually building his reputation. Now that he has secured a rookie top-salary contract extension and entered the All-Star lineup, Doncic's next obvious goal is to enter the NAB regular season MVP discussions. That should be a sure thing this season, especially if he can keep the Lone Rangers in the top three in the West, a difficult task for a team that doesn't have a strong second-in-command in the rotation.
Lamello Ball, Charlotte Hornets
All the signs are positive as last year's rookie of the year is trying to overtake himself. He is more like a confident scorer (averaging 20.4 points per game) and a good passer. From an offensive perspective, Ball put himself in a dangerous position that would eventually completely disrupt the opponent's game plans. His shooting options need to improve, and his defense needs more polishing, even though he averages almost two steals per game. Overall, his performance now is exactly what the Hornets need most at this stage.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young has struggled very the three-point line this season, shooting just 33.3 percent from three points — and he should adjust himself. At the same time, due to the introduction of the league's new foul rules, his number of free throws has also decreased a lot. However, Trae Young is unlikely to sustain such a poor performance for long. Because it's so good, remember, he didn't play well at the beginning of every previous season, but by the end of the season, he had performed well. Perhaps the most respectful aspect is how to design a defensive approach to block his running position.
Darren Fox, Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is a city of patient basketball, a necessary feature when your team hasn't made the playoffs since 2004. So the fans won't complain about Fox for the time being. His shooting percentage, especially the inside (20.4%), should raise some alarm, and he has performed a little worse in the game than last season. Still, it's too early to say, and Fox has plenty of time to adjust to form. Here's the funny thing: If Fox finds his form quickly and improves his performance, he may be able to convince the 76ers to pull the trigger for Simmons' trade.
Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls
He has only once this season scored more than 15 points per game, and that number won't improve much in teams with DeRozan, Zach Raven and Nikola Vucevic. That's no problem for the Bulls, who just want him to shoot three-pointers when he's in the open (he's now shooting a career-high 40.9 percent from three-point range) and then use accurate passes to find teammates and do a good job of defense. And the Bulls also won with Ball and are significantly better than last season, and that's the most important thing, right? As he becomes more familiar with the system and his teammates, he has the potential to improve his stats across the board.
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers' lesser-known young point guard got off to a great start and was praised for his leadership even before Colin Sexton collapsed with a knee injury a few days ago. But now? As Garland develops further, the Knights will become more dependent on him. He shoots more than 40 percent from the inside, averages 7.6 assists per game, and can quickly find teammates who have vacancies. The first to win may be center Jarrett Allen, who often gets the hanging ball from Garland and gets a much better offensive chance than anyone else, and then his mission is to put that damn ball into the basket.
Cole Antonio, Orlando Magic
There's no bigger surprise on this list, but he deserves the position. Considering that the Magic have two other high-ranking young point guards — Markel Fultz and this year's No. 5 rookie Sargas — the best performer is still Cole Antoni. His organisational ability and scoring are high, and the Magic's offense is affected when he's not on the court. In this month's win, Anthony scored 33 points against the Jazz and 31 points against the Timberwolves, nine rebounds and eight assists. When Fultz returned from knee surgery, he should have kept playing time even if he didn't let Cole Antoni start.
Shay Giljes-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week at staples center, the ball he shot from the Lakers' midline logo decided the Lakers lost to the Thunder. It's just a microcosm of what Alexander did after signing a top-salary contract in the offseason. It is for this reason that the Thunder will renew him with the highest salary. For a Thunder team that is destined to lose a lot this season, he is by far the best player on the team. When the Thunder add more talented players in the future, he will usher in his own peak.
De Chantai Murray, San Antonio Spurs
With deMar DeRozan gone, the Spurs needed a first choice and a closer candidate, and Murray was selected. So far, he has performed well. His improvement on the offensive end is good news for the Spurs, who lack superstars in the rotation, which makes Murray a more complete player. Until this season, his best contribution was defensively. In this respect, he is still a person who annoys opponents, his hands are fast, and his one-on-one defense is also great. Murray now averages 17.6 points per game, seven points higher than his career average of 10.4 points per game, and on the other side of the game, Murray is also trustworthy.