“Not Here to Baby(sit) Anybody”: Marcus Smart on Mentoring Ja Morant and Other Young Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a young squad. They have been one of the most talented teams in the NBA for the past few years. But in the past seasons, Ja Morant & co have lacked veteran experience and leadership in the locker room. That was one of the reasons that led to the Dillion Brooks and Ja Morant fiasco last season. The Grizzlies front office realized the void in their roster and brought in former DPOY Marcus Smart this off-season.

However, the former Boston Celtics superstar made it clear that he was not on the team to babysit Ja Morant or any other young Grizzlies player.

Marcus Smart sat down with Andscape to discuss his debut season with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-year veteran revealed how it felt to be one of the most experienced players in the Grizzlies locker room and his mentoring role with Ja Morant & co “I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. I’m not here to baby anybody. I’m here to be a professional and teach these guys how to do the same thing. I understand what it takes.” Smart said. The former DPOY added that he knew when to go hard on his teammates and when to just have a talk with them. That is what makes him a good leader.

The Grizzlies have dug themselves a deep hole in Ja Morant’s absence. While Ja was serving his 25-game suspension, Memphis started the season 6-19. Even though the Grizzlies have won 5 games since Ja’s return, they have a long way to go if they want to make the playoffs. The Grizzlies have a lot of hope for Marcus Smart because he was a part of the Boston Celtics team that went from a 25-25 record to the NBA Finals in 2022.

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Can Marcus Smart’s leadership turn the Grizzlies’ season around?

The Memphis Grizzlies let go of Dillion Brooks and made way for Marcus Smart after the drama in the 2023 playoffs. Smart has had a decent start to his Grizzlies career. He is averaging 12.5 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals. He has been the defensive anchor for the team alongside 2023 DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr. More importantly, Smart has been a leader in the locker room and helped the Grizzlies stay away from any off-court drama.

Smart spent 9 years in Boston playing for a team that was always in contention to win the title. So, he knows what it takes to win games in the NBA. Now that Ja is back in the line-up, Smart can use his playoff experience to help the Grizzlies get out of the hole they have dug themselves.

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