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Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant will be watching fellow phenom Zion Williamson's games this season, but he won't be trying to upstage the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant will have to wait to catch Williamson's jostling jams in highlight videos, as the New Orleans Pelicans rookie recently sustained a torn meniscus. Morant is praying for his friend to recover quickly.
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"That's my brother," Morant said. "I'm pretty sure people know how pretty close brothers are. I feel like that explains it."
Williamson's injury made Morant the front-runner for the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Morant said others have tried to pit the two budding basketball stars against each other, but Morant insists support outweighs competition in their relationship.
"I haven't talked much to [Williamson], but I definitely sent prayers out to him," Morant said. "I know he will bounce back and come back better. He'll be fine. I'm definitely going to watch him, just to see how he's doing.
"It's definitely not a battle though, it's just showing love to a person I played with who is a brother to me."
Morant wasn't upset about not being the No. 1 pick in the draft. He is grateful his journey led to the NBA. That humility helped him mesh with Williamson when they shared the court as AAU-circuit teammates.
Morant's humble reputation continued throughout college and is evident still in the Grizzlies' locker room.
"It's what we worked for," Morant said. "I'm not surprised at all about [Williamson]. I saw [his talent] at a young age and knew he was going to be special. Just to see what he comes in and does every night. What he does is just special. There won't be another Zion."
Morant had relatives and his figurative family in attendance for his first NBA game, with 30 tickets purchased before the Grizzlies' loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday in Miami. His mom and dad sat courtside. Former Murray State coach Matt McMahon also was there to see Morant's debut.
Morant started shaky, with several turnovers in the first quarter against the Heat. He finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. Sensational speed and court vision seeped from the rookie, impressing the crowd and putting pressure on the defense.
Morant's talent might lead to a filled trophy case, but that's not what drives him to succeed.
Humility and legendary ties
"I don't worry about accolades at all," Morant said. "I control what I control and do what I do. At the end, it will all play out."
Humility is also a trait often associated with NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen. The NBA leader in career 3-pointers carved out a sensational career with a quiet intensity, leading to two NBA titles and 10 All-Star selections. Allen has had a close eye on Morant's development and attended his NBA debut.
Allen once was a teammate of Morant's father, Tee Morant, at Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, S.C., a city with a population of fewer than 3,000.
"His dad tells me this all the time, 'You were the example I used for Ja because I didn't make it,'" Allen said during an interview at Wednesday's game. "He did a great job of teaching him the skills of basketball and just challenging him every day. Now I use that example for my son because I see [those skills] in Ja."
Allen retired in 2016, but said he wants younger players to "bother" him for advice. Morant was one of those players, as he trained with Allen before the draft, in addition to his workouts with Tee Morant.
The Grizzlies saw Morant's humility and willingness to learn as positive traits before making him the No. 2 overall pick behind Williamson.
"He is definitely a confident kid, a bright kid, a team oriented kid, but the biggest thing that jumps out is he is super humble," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jankins said. "It's a credit to his upbringing, his family, his college coaches, high school coaches.
"You just see that come out of him on a daily basis. That's something important to us as we establish a culture here and style of play. Having someone that's going to be at the forefront of that it makes our jobs a lot easier knowing you have someone that can lead you in that role."
Relentless leader
Jenkins wants to exhaust opposing defenses with a relentless attack, flying back at the opposition in transition and forcing foes to gasp for air. Morant can captain that charge. His elite speed is unteachable. His decision-making skills and execution can improve with experience and coaching.
"He has to one of the fastest players in the NBA," Grizzlies guard Grayson Allen said. "In 94 feet, makes or misses, he can push the ball and be down there by the time the other team can even set up there defense.
"The other four players on the floor have to start sprinting a little early or we aren't going to be able to keep up with him."
Grizzlies teammates also have to be ready to catch the ball or they might end up with bruises and embarrassing cameos in highlight videos.
Morant's feet are fleet, but his vision might be quicker. He often makes passes so quickly that the ball surprises his teammates when they receive it. If they don't have their hands up to receive a pass, they might take a hit to the head or chest.
"You just never know what he is going to be able to create," Jenkins said. "I want him to be full throttle. I want him to be aggressive and have an attack mentality. ... Our guys have to be ready at all times to be able to catch it and let it fly.
"We are still learning a lot about him. I know he is still learning a lot about himself. I think he has done a really good job so far, but its a great challenge for us as coaches to see where we can maximize him."
Morant takes the court for the second time of his NBA career at 8 p.m. EDT Friday at the United Center in Chicago.
"You don't need to look very hard to see [Morant's talent]," Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas said. "His speed is something.
"He has understanding of the game. He knows how to read the game. Running fast is one thing, but being able to read what's out there and find open teammates is another thing. He has it. He has been great throughout preseason. Now the real thing starts."
