March Madness: Top 5 backcourts in 2019 NCAA Tournament
By Alex Weber
2. Ja Morant and Leroy Buchannon – Murray State
Ja ruled the Ohio Valley Conference in 2019, and will likely be the highest NBA Draft pick in the history of the League. Murray state’s high ranking on this list is, of course, mostly a result of Morant’s Herculean season. It’s like plopping Russell Westbrook into a random small gym in Western Kentucky and saying “play ball!” Morant is the most exciting mid-major player of this decade; and frankly, it isn’t even close.
He can jump over other division one basketball players (something I cannot do) and plays with a spirit that reminds me of De’Aaron Fox–who, I dunno, is a pretty damn good basketball player. Morant is a basketball circus act who’s ready to perform in the biggest show of his young career, and I’m more than intrigued.
Oh, and his running mate Leroy Buchannon has the first name of a 1950’s schoolboy from Kansas who wears overalls every day no matter the weather. But don’t be fooled: Buchannon is also an elite athlete, perhaps even more so than Morant, as crazy as that sounds. Look for my man Leroy to catch and throw down lobs from Ja during their tournament run.