Narratives control sports, or at least what the fans think of athletes. It’s unfair, but it’s just the way it is. It happens in the NBA, it happens in the NFL, and it happens in every single major sports tournament.
Fans often overhype a player after a nice stretch, just to call him out when he falls from grace. He’s never as good as people say when he’s hot, nor as bad as their haters say when his shot isn’t falling.
Nonetheless, it’s become clearer and clearer that Ja Morant is a special kind of talent. But to Colin Cowherd, he’s just way too hyped right now and will end like some other athletic, fast point guards before him.
NBA News: Colin Cowherd Thinks Ja Morant Will End Like Derrick Rose, John Wall, And Russell Westbrook
“This Ja Morant stuff. I know he’s great,” Cowherd said on his show.“But I want to remind you…fans and the media have fallen for this… five times in the last twelve years. It’s called John Wall, it’s called Russell Westbrook, it’s called Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose was every bit Ja Morant. He literally took over social media, he took over cable TV”
“I am very skeptical about the long-term championship odds for springy, athletic guards that drive and score,” Cowherd added.“The little guys that knock your socks off, and drive to the basket, are not great shooters do not last.”
While Cowherd could have a point right there, we’re talking about the same guy who said he’d take Carson Wentz ahead of Aaron Rodgers and that Ben Simmons was the fifth-best player in the world.
So, besides taking everything he says with a grain of salt, there’s absolutely no reason to think that Morant can’t break the mold and find success in the league. He’s become the most entertaining player to watch this season and there’s no reason to take uncalled shots at him.