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It is the Rising Stars challenge during the All-Star Weekend. Ja Morant moves the ball between his legs before setting up Zion Williamson for an emphatic dunk. Throughout the first half of the regular season, both Ja and Zion have proved that they are incredibly talented. They are show-stoppers. The two front runners for the Rookie of the Year award have the potential to put on such jaw-dropping performances not just in the Rising Stars Challenge but also in the All-Star game, in multiple future All-Star games. The former AAU teammates could go on to have glorious careers by becoming the faces of their franchises and making multiple All-Star appearances.
But there is a lot to consider before we get there. The main question that lingers is that which one of these young stars could have a longer career in the NBA? A few key factors to consider are their physicality, explosiveness, and position on the court. Could it be the lean and incredibly athletic point guard, Ja Morant? Or could it be the physically dominant and freakishly athletic power forward, Zion Williamson?
Physicality
Zion Williamson is the third heaviest player in the league weighing 284 pounds with a height of 6 feet 6 inches. The two heavier players are Boban Marjanović who has a height of 7'3 and Tacko Fall who stands at 7'5 inches. While Zion’s body allows him to dominate the floor it also makes him more prone to injury. The injuries have already forced him to miss games, both in college and also in the NBA.
When compared to Zion, Ja Morant looks like a player who has been designed in a lab. His build, speed, and skill make him an ideal fit for the modern NBA game. Ja is only 20 years old and is currently not as strong as he should be. He would need a few years to grow into his frame and to also get used to the physical demands of playing in the league.
History has shown that players with the body-types of Ja Morant have been in the league for a longer time. On the other hand, a player like Zion, who has his own history with injuries, would require a lot of care and attention. Zion will have to manage his weight and the coaches will have to put him on minutes restrictions and sometimes avoid back-to-back games. In other words, he could need load management.
Explosiveness
Both the rookies have shown incredible explosiveness in their time in the league so far. Ja Morant credits players like Steph Curry and Damian Lillard for paving the path for smaller players like him to come into the league. But Ja has shown that he is far more explosive than both Curry and Lillard. During a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Morant almost jumped over the 6'8 Kevin Love. While the guard out of Murray State is an incredible athlete, he is not the most explosive player in his rookie class.
Zion Williamson is the definition of explosiveness. His freak athleticism makes him one the of best dunkers in the game and an excellent player to gather rebounds. Zion has shown that he can get into the chest of a big man, dunk the ball over him or get a rebound. His second jump to finish baskets is incredible.
Zion’s explosiveness is both a gift and a curse. He comes down hard on the floor which forces all his weight on his knees. His movements have so much force that he shoes ripped open during a college game.
Coming into the league, Zion had been the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. But he had to go through tremendous amount of training, conditioning, and rehab before he played his first-ever NBA game. Zion is a player who has to be carefully monitored throughout his career. Even during the All-Star Rising Stars challenge a Pelicans trainer was standing close to the players' bench, keeping an eye on Zion Williamson.
Position
The NBA has become a guard-driven league where the role of the big men is slowly becoming extinct. Ja being a point-guard and Zion a power-forward will be needed in the game in years to come.
Both were questioned about their shooting range coming into the league. Ja has shown his rage by consistently shooting long-range shots and three-pointers, while Zion made confident threes in his very first game against the San Antonio Spurs. NBA players change their game and adapt as they age. But these two rookies have made additions even before they started playing in the league.
But the question to be asked is that, as their athleticism decreases with time, who will be in a more dominant role in the league.
Every basketball fan would like to see multiple All-Star games where Ja Morant sets up Zion Williamson for some incredible dunks. We will all love to see both players having glorious careers, winning championships and becoming MVPs. But with their physicality, explosiveness, and positions in the game, the question remains that who will have a longer career in the league.
