Suspended Ja Morant Shines the Spotlight on Desmond Bane as Grizzlies Star Wreaks Havoc in Detroit

The Memphis Grizzlies are trying to stay afloat until their superstar Ja Morant returns to the line-up. Memphis got their sixth win of the season tonight after they beat the last-seeded Detroit Pistons 116-102 in dominant fashion. The Grizzlies were led by their shooting guard Desmond Bane, who went off for a career-high 49 points. Bane has performed consistently well in Morant’s absence, but he is seldom talked about as one of the young stars in the league.

While Ja Morant is still serving his 25-game suspension, he shone the spotlight on Desmond Bane after his historic performance against the Pistons.

Ja Morant wants the NBA world to respect Desmond Bane

Even though Ja Morant cannot suit up for the Grizzlies right now, he has supported his team in whatever way he can. Ja was mesmerized by his teammate Desmond Bane’s amazing performance against the Pistons and demanded the NBA world to put some respect in his name. “22 ain’t talked about enough.” Morant wrote on X. Desmond Bane has been one of the pillars of the Grizzlies franchise ever since he entered the league. The 25-year-old has been a perfect ‘Robin’ to Morant’s ‘Batman’, but his name gets lost in the discussion of best young stars in the NBA.

Desmond Bane’s performance has improved each year of his young career, and he has performed exceptionally well in Morant’s absence. Bane is averaging 23.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals this season.

The shooting guard has also proven his mettle in the playoffs. He averages a solid 17.1 points in his playoff career, and he even put up a playoff career-high 36 points against LeBron James and Co. last season. Even though Bane is a talented young player, there are a few reasons why he does not get talked about enough.

Read More: “Slept On” All-Star De’Aaron Fox Gets Hailed, Amid MVP Talks: “If Ja (Morant) Was Doing That We’d Be Screaming League MVP”

Why is Desmond Bane not getting the respect he deserves?

A major reason for the NBA ignoring Desmond Bane’s star-like abilities is that he plays for a losing team. Even though Bane put up an impressive 49-point performance, it was against the worst team in the league. In most cases, Bane’s performance does not translate to wins for the Grizzlies. Memphis is currently 14th in the Western Conference with a 6-14 record. Even during last season’s playoffs, Bane averaged an impressive 23.5 points in the first round against the Lakers. But his team was brutally eliminated by King James and Co. in 6 games.

Another reason for snubbing Bane could be the drama surrounding Ja Morant. The NBA world is so focused on what transpired with Ja Morant that they have forgotten about his teammates. Even though Bane is putting up monster numbers, the fans are more curious about Ja’s return from suspension. Do you believe Desmond Bane deserves more respect than he gets?

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