Ja Morant was sensational his rookie year and was rewarded with a well-deserved Rookie of the Year honor. Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant was sensational as a rookie, nearly leading his upstart team to what would have been a shocking playoff appearances.

Less than two weeks after his season came to a conclusion, Morant has now earned a top individual honor, as he was named the Rookie of the Year.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant got a whopping 99 of the 100 first-place votes. 

Morant might have talked about not caring too much about this award earlier in his rookie season, but it’s clear he earned it. The former Murray State star averaged 17.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting a remarkable 47.7 percent from the field as a rookie.

The NBA world had its reactions to Thursday’s momentous news, including Morant himself:

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