Derrick Rose had one of the greatest rises in the NBA, but his unfortunate knee injuries effectively ended his chances of being a superstar in the NBA. Now teammates with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, people are comparing the two for their styles of play.
Ja Morant only played nine games last season, but was playing with a vengeance in his return from the NBA’s suspension. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, but fans have high hopes for his 2024-25 season.
In an interview with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, former Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who was a teammate of Derrick Rose for years, says he certainly sees where people are coming from when they compare the and Ja Morant.
“I see it,” Noah said. “I see a lot of similarities. They’re definitely hood favorites. It’s cool. I think there’s similarities in their explosiveness. Physically I think D-Rose is a little bit more explosive. There’s definitely differences in their game.”
Joakim Noah played nine years with the Chicago Bulls, all but one of which was alongside Derrick Rose. The duo played 381 games together, including 41 in the postseason, with a .572 winning percentage.
Ja Morant took a major jump in the 2021-22 season, averaging 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists for Memphis. He then averaged career highs in rebounds and assists in the 2022-23 season to go along with his 26.2 points per game average.
The Grizzlies will play five preseason games before their regular season opener against the Utah Jazz on October 23rd. After two years full of suspensions and injuries, Ja Morant could be in for a big year.
