NBA Futures: Bet Ja Morant As MVP Sleeper Pick

2022-2023 NBA MVP Sleeper Pick

As we near the NBA All-Star break and the unofficial halfway point of the season, it's a great time to enter the futures market. By now you've had plenty of time to watch specific teams and players and assess where they're at this year. You've also had a chance to see some highlight-worthy plays, most of which are likely coming in the form of dunks by Memphis star Ja Morant.

Morant's name hasn't been thrown around the MVP conversation all that much this season, but currently at 22-1 at DraftKings and 30-1 at FanDuel to win the award, it might be worth considering.

Ja Morant MVP Award Analysis

Morant has yet to earn his first MVP award, but if he continues to put up the number we've seen from him through the first few months of the season, he could make a very good case for himself this year. The high-flying superstar opened the 2022-23 season by setting a franchise record for most points scored in the first two games of the season, with 83 combined points. As of mid-January, he's averaging a career-high 27.5 points and 7.3 assists while leading his team to the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies current 10-game win streak is also the second-longest in franchise history and Morant has posted four performances of 30 or more points during that span.

However, when it boils down to it, what matters most is what categories the voters pay the most attention to when filling out their ballot. Wins, minutes and games played, field goal percentage and win shares are some of the most important statistical areas to voters. Morant isn't exactly at the top of each of those lists, which is why his odds are still pretty long, but when it comes to some of the more intangible areas that voters consider, he definitely leads the pack.

He is known for his acrobatic dunks and ability to contort his body around the rim. These are plays that fans love to see and generate a ton of chatter. Morant is constantly on SportsCenter throwing down highlight-worthy dunks, like the one he put on Jalen Smith recently, and as much as some voters may not like to admit it, confirmation bias definitely plays into account.

With his captivating performances lately, Morant's odds at DraftKings have gone from 30-1 just last week to 22-1 this week. He's still considered a long shot and needs to improve his shooting percentage if he wants to be a serious contender. However, if he continues scoring at the rate he's currently on and the Grizzlies continue winning, Morant's name is only going to continue moving up odds boards.