There may not be a more motivated player in the NBA next season than Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. After being limited to just nine games this season, Morant will be entering next season with something to prove.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday that has accumulated over 200,000 likes in just two hours, Morant shared some images and videos from this season, and added a simple caption with three emojis and the words, “year 6 [on the way].”
The Western Conference is already incredibly strong, with some non-playoff teams this year expecting to join the postseason mix next year. The Grizzlies are among the Western Conference teams that missed the playoffs this season but expect to be back next season.
Morant’s nine games this season came after he returned from a 25-game suspension, as a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the year after just those nine games. Now motivated to prove that he and the Grizzlies are still among the league’s best, Morant is locked in for next season.
In those nine games that Morant played this season, there was a different feeling around the Grizzlies that they could make a push for the playoffs. While the star’s 25-game suspension to start the season put the Grizzlies in a tough hole, Morant and the team looked determined to climb their way up the standings and at least earn themselves a play-in game.
While Morant’s injury along with several others to key Grizzlies players sent this season in a different direction, Memphis believes they can bounce back next season.