The Inquisitr - News

January 12, 2022 Administrator

The Inquisitr - News

Man Charged With 1986 Kidnapping And Murder Of 4-Year-Old Girl

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 11:24 AM PST

A North Carolina man has been arrested and charged for the unsolved disappearance of then 4-year-old Jessica Gutierrez in 1986, People reports.

On January 6, a man named Thomas McDowell was taken into custody by authorities, who say that McDowell lived in Lexington County, S.C during the time of Gutierrez's disappearance.

A Shocking Development

After being taken into custody, McDowell was officially charged with murder in relation to Jessica Gutierrez's disappearance. Jessica was never found after being reported missing, and authorities believe that she is dead.

On top of the murder charge, McDowell also faces charges for kidnapping and burglary of the first degree.

The disappearance and suspected killing has been unsolved for decades, leaving Jessica's family unaware of their daughter's location and condition.

"I'm glad God brought me to see it," Jessica's mother said to The News & Observer. "I prayed he would bring me through it, and we've waited for this a long time."

The 1986 Kidnapping

The authorities investigating Jessica's case believe that she was originally abducted from the family home in Lexington. The kidnapping occurred after midnight on June 6th.

Though a massive search was undertaken, Jessica's whereabouts, as well as the reason for her disappearance continue to be unknown.

According to The News & Observer, Jessica's sister was reported to say that [the man] "with the magic hat and the beard took her last night."

'A Fresh Look'

After decades of remaining unsolved, the case was re-examined by authorities. With fresh eyes, the investigators, FBI agents and other specialists studied the case in September 2021. Those involved in the investigation were pooled from the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team, and prosecutors from the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.

Over 3,500 case files were looked at and more than 125 people were interviewed in regards to the case, Sheriff for Lexington County Jay Koon said.

"Because of the work we did, coming together as a team, we were able to sort and connect more pieces of the puzzle about what happened to Jessica all those years ago," Koon said, as reported by People.

The Decade-Long Wait For A Suspect

According to authorities, McDowell lived in the same region as Jessica during the time she disappeared.

The key piece of evidence leading to McDowell's arrest appears to be a finger print that was recently found to belong to the suspect, as found in a warrant obtain by People.

Without this newly discovered information our office would not be able to prosecute this case," South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said.

Currently, McDowell has been taken to his South Carolina, his state of residence and awaits trial.

More latest news here and latest crime news here.

]]>

Warriors Share Terrible News About James Wiseman's Return

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:32 AM PST

Not so long ago, James Wiseman was the undisputed no. 1 NBA prospect in the nation.

His combination of size, length, footwork, and fundamentals made him a can't-miss kind of talent NBA teams were keeping an eye on since high school.

Unfortunately, a suspension cut his lone season at Memphis short and he wasn't able to get through his first season with the Golden State Warriors without getting hurt, which is why some analysts now doubt he'll ever reach a high ceiling.

Theres' Still No Timetable For Wiseman's Return

To make things even worst, it seems like the former second-overall pick will have to wait a little longer to silence his critics, as he has yet to be cleared for contact work:

"Warriors still have no timetable on when James Wiseman will get cleared for contact work," reported Connor Letourneau of NBC Sports.

Wiseman will likely have to get a stint in the G-League after getting clearance before even thinking of cracking Steve Kerr's rotation at any point in the season.

Wiseman Was Getting Close

Apparently, Wiseman suffered a setback in his rehab, as he was pretty close to getting back on the court before entering the league's health and safety protocols.

Nonetheless, the Dubs have kept a tight mouth when it comes to the status of his injury:

"Well, he was getting close, and then COVID happens, and he's right there to start doing some live stuff whether it's the end of this week or next week," Warriors GM Bob Myers said on The Morning Roast.

He'll Have To Earn His Minutes

Wiseman isn't a lock to crack the rotation even when healthy, and some fear we may not even see him on the court this year at all:

"That's really been the last thing, and then once you're there, it becomes, how do we get game reps and real scrimmaging? Whether we get that in the Bay, in the city, with the team, which is kind of hard to do, or, do we get it in Santa Cruz? So James is going to have to go through that part," Myers added.

Warriors Stars Attend Wisemans' High School Jersey Retirement

But not everything's bad for the youngster. Recently, he got his no. 32 jersey retired by East High School, his Alma Mater in Memphis, Tennessee:

"I was manifesting this when I was a younger kid. Just being able to be here in this moment, it's crazy," Wiseman said, as quoted by Mercury News"It means a lot just being here."

Wiseman is just 20 years old and still has plenty of chance to prove his worth. Hopefully, he'll be cleared soon to earn the opportunity to prove why he was once considered the best big man prospect in years.

]]>

NFL Rumors: 3 Potential Dark Horse Destinations For Deshaun Watson

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:15 AM PST

Even though he hasn't played in months, everybody around the National Football League continues to talk about Deshaun Watson.

The Clemson product is one of the most impactful dual-threat quarterbacks in the league, and his desire to leave the Houston Texans hasn't changed despite his legal turmoil.

That's why the franchise is likely to face the fact that he won't suit up for them anymore and they'll be forced to deal him in the offseason. Unsurprisingly, he'll have plenty of suitors lining up.

Are The Dolphins Out Of The Picture?

Most people expected the Miami Dolphins to be the most aggressive suitor for Watson's services and reports state that he would only consider vetoing his no-trade clause for them.

Nonetheless, with the Dolphins shockingly firing HC Brian Flores a couple of days ago, they might as well have kissed those chances goodbye, as Watson was reportedly only interested in playing at Hard Rock Cafe Stadium because of Flores.

With that in mind, let's take a look at three potential dark horse destinations for him.

Watson Saves Washington

The Washington Football Team will unveil a new name pretty soon but the same issues of the past will still be there next season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is... Ryan Fitzpatrick. Taylor Heinicke is nothing more than a backup QB at this point.

Washington's defense is promising enough for them to be a contender in one of football's worst divisions, and having Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson next to Watson could certainly revamp their offense. Also, when asked about landing Watson, coach Ron Rivera didn't exactly shy away:

"This organization will be able to do what it needs to do, OK? And that's all I'm going to say on that," Rivera said, as quoted by MSN.

Replacing Kirk Cousins In Minnesota

We've already established that Watson wanted to play for Brian Flores, and Flores is now one of the leading candidates to coach the Minnesota Vikings, so there's that.

The Vikings have Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook, the best trio of weapons Watson could find in any of his suitors.

Moreover, the Vikings would be wise to try and trade Kirk Cousins when he enters the final year of his massive contract and they would get a huge upgrade at QB while also landing a younger player.

Why Have Jared Goff When You Can Have Deshaun Watson?

And last but not least, let's talk about the Detroit Lions.

Watson was recently spotted in Detroit to attend a medical marijuana event and, even though it had nothing to do, there was a huge frenzy on social media, with Lions fans rallying up to give him a warm welcome.

I know, why would Watson veto his no-trade clause to join the Lions of all teams?

Well, they have the ultimate players' coach in Dan Campbell and the locker room seems heavily invested in him and his project.

Their defense has shown glimpses of promise and they have two electric playmakers in Amon Ra-St Brown and D'Andre Swift, not to mention plenty of cap space and draft assets to put together a solid team.

It's a huge stretch but we've seen crazier things happen.

]]>

Patrolman Urges Judge Not To Lower Alex Murdaugh's Bail

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:04 AM PST

Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh is facing dozens of financial crime charges, including theft, forgery, and money laundering.

Murdaugh's wife Maggie and son Paul were murdered in June. In September, Murdaugh himself was shot in the head by what he claimed was an unknown man, but later admitted to staging the attack in order to commit insurance fraud.

Murdaugh was arrested in October. In December, South Carolina Judge Alison Renee Lee set Murdaugh's bond at $7 million, with no option to pay 10 percent for release.

Motion To Lower Bond

Murdaugh's attorneys filed a motion last Tuesday asking the court to lower his bond, as reported by People.

In the motion, they claimed that Murdaugh "does not have seven million dollars or anything close to that amount" and that he is "a man who cannot pay his phone bill."

According to the attorneys, Murdaugh currently has less than $10,000 in his bank accounts, so "the Court's order requiring a $7 million surety bond is tantamount to no bond at all."

In addition, they claimed, Murdaugh "has very little liquid assets at this time."

Bond Hearing

Murdaugh's virtual bond hearing was held on Monday.

South Carolina Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Moore testified at the hearing, saying that he hired Murdaugh after being injured in the line of duty.

But, instead of helping him, Murdaugh allegedly took $100,000 of Moore's compensation.

"He treated me very nice, and he stole every dime I had," said Moore, whose accident left him with permanent nerve damage and many medical bills.

The patrolman also suggested that he would fear for his life if Murdaugh were released on bond.

Moore Vs. Murdaugh

Moore allegedly first contacted Murdaugh in January 2021.

According to indictments, Murdaugh convinced Moore to sign over a $125,000 check he had received from an insurance company to his law firm.

Murdaugh then deposited the check into an account under the name "Richard A. Murdaugh Sole Prop DBA Forge."

The indictment claims that "instead of compensating Patrolman Moore, Murdaugh instead breached Patrolman Moore's trust and converted the money to his own personal use."

Murdaugh has been charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent, money laundering, computer crime and forgery in connection with Moore's case.

Unraveling Of Murdaugh Dynasty

Alex Murdaugh is not the only member of the Murdaugh legal dynasty who has had trouble with the law.

In fact, many other Murdaugh family members have been implicated in serious crimes. Paul Murdaugh was accused of boating under the influence in an accident that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

Several other people close to Murdaugh's died under mysterious circumstances.

Murdaughs' housekeeper Gloria Satterfield died in 2018 allegedly after a fall, but no autopsy was ever conducted. Nineteen-year-old Stephen Smith also died under mysterious circumstances.

]]>

Will John Cena Appear At WrestleMania 38?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:03 AM PST

Last year at WrestleMania 37, it was the end of an era as John Cena missed the show for the first time since 2002. Cena didn't really do much at WrestleMania 19, however, he just did a segment where he rapped. Cena would go on to become one of the top WrestleMania performers of all time, however, even after a rather auspicious start. Cena would make his in-ring WrestleMania debut the following year, defeating the Big Show for the United States Championship.

Cena missed last year due to his filming schedule and that could happen again this year too. Scroll down to reveal what Cena said recently about performing at WrestleMania 38.

John Cena On If He'll Be At WrestleMania This Year

John Cena was on the Ellen Degeneres show recently and spoke about possibly performing on this year's WrestleMania. Unfortunately, it's not clear if his filming schedule will allow for it.

"WrestleMania is usually in the cusp of late March, early April," said Cena. "I don't know if I'm going to make it this year. That's a good conundrum to have because there are a lot of good opportunities coming up, which I would love to take. If all those things line up, I don't know if I'll be able to make WrestleMania."

It's not just his filming schedule that could prevent a Mania appearance or match, however. Insurance issues also play a role. Scroll down to learn more.

Insurance Issues Preventing John Cena From Wrestling Again?

Unfortunately for WWE fans, John Cena's contractual commitments in Hollywood could prevent him from wrestling again anytime soon.

Last summer, Cena was on The Tonight Show and opened up about how insurance policies with Hollywood prevent him from wrestling.

"Once you do one of these things (a big film), the insurance doesn't let you go wrestle on the weekends, so we'll see what happens," Cena said.

Despite this, however, Cena did return to WWE shortly after and wrestle a series of matches culminating with a match against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.

Part of the reason insurance makes things difficult for Cena to wrestle is because of what happened with the Rock when he returned for a match against Cena at WrestleMania in 2013. Scroll down to learn more.

Injury The Rock Suffered At WrestleMania 29 Almost Delayed Filming Of Hercules

When the Rock returned at WrestleMania 29 to face John Cena in 2013, he tore his abdominal and abductor muscles and suffered a hernia. Hollywood was not happy about the injuries he suffered.

The Rock's injuries almost caused a delay in filming of the movie Hercules, something that could have ended up costing the studio a lot of money. Since then, things have been a lot more difficult in terms of insurance issues and actors returning to their wrestling roots. In fact, that injury may have more or less ended the Rock's wrestling career. Scroll down to learn more.

Hollywood May Never Let The Rock Wrestle Again

The Rock is worth a lot of money to Hollywood and that may prevent him from ever wrestling again. Although there has been talk of him wrestling Roman Reigns at Mania somewhere down the line, a lot of insurance-related hurdles would have to be jumped through for that to happen.

The Rock has only wrestled once since the injuries suffered in 2013 that almost delayed filming of Hercules. That match was an unadvertised 6-second win over Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32. The Rock only performed one actual wrestling move in that match. There wasn't much opportunity for him to get injured again.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter wrote about how his WrestleMania 29 injuries led to pressure from Hollywood for the Rock to stop wrestling.

"This also will undoubtedly put pressure on The Rock to stop wrestling. The movie studios have big money riding on him with these projects, and there was always the fear of Rock getting injured during a match," wrote Dave Meltzer.

]]>

Anthony Fauci Calls GOP Senator 'Moron' In Hot Mic Moment

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

Dr. Anthony Fauci has faced intense attacks from Republican politicians and conservative figures since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with many accusing him of whitholding vital information from the public.

On Tuesday, Fauci testified before the Senate Health Committee, where he faced tough questions from GOP senators pertaining to a variety of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The exchange between Fauci and Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas got very contentious and, at one point, Fauci called the lawmaker a "moron."

Read More Below

Marshall -- who is a physician -- asked Fauci as he was grilling him whether he would be willing to disclose his investments to Congress.

"As the highest-paid employee in the entire federal government... Yes or no, would you be willing to submit to Congress and the public a financial disclosure that includes your past and current investments?" Marshall asked, per Fox News.

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was not happy with this question and immediately hit back at the senator, calling him "misinformed."

Fauci Hits Back

Fauci refused to answer Marshall's question directly, saying that his financial investments have been "public knowledge" for decades.

"I don't understand why you're asking me that question. My financial disclosure is public knowledge and has been so for the last 37 years or so, 35 years," Fauci said.

Marshall then claimed that "big tech giants" are suppressing information about Fauci, which apparently shocked President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor.

"All you have to do is ask for it. You're so misinformed. It's extraordinary," he said.

Hot Mic Moment

Marshall and Fauci continued to spar. In the end, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington intervened to stop the contentious exchange.

But right after Murray's intervention, Fauci was caught on hot mic disparaging and insulting the conservative senator, and calling him a "moron."

"What a moron, Jesus Christ!" Fauci could be heard saying.

The hot mic moment quickly went viral on Twitter and other social media sites, with liberals praising Fauci and conservatives describing his behavior as highly inappropriate.

Listen to what Fauci said below.

Marshall Issues Statement

After the hearing, Marshall issued a statement attacking Fauci, as reported by Newsweek.

"Calling me a moron during a Senate hearing may have alleviated the stress of the least trusted bureaucrat in America, but it didn't take away from the facts. We need the truth Dr. Fauci!" Marshall wrote in a tweet.

The GOP senator also posted a poll from the conservative-leaning firm Rasmussen Reports, which suggests that 59 percent of Americans do not have a favorable opinion of the medical expert.

]]>

'Vanderpump Rules' Star Scheana Shay Opens Up About Prenup 'Big Lesson'

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:57 AM PST

Vanderpump Rules veteran Scheana Shay said she's "learned a big lesson" regarding prenups from her past experience as a married woman. The 36-year-old reality star and fiancée to 30-year-old personal trainer Brock Davies explained her stance on having a prenup in place as an assurance for the future just as she and her hubby-to-be were preparing to sign theirs on Tuesday's episode.

Shay, who was previously married to TV personality and record producer Michael Shay, revealed that she and her ex-husband didn't sign a prenup when they got hitched in July 2014, which ultimately caused problems for the mother-of-one.

Here's what she said.

Shay & Davies Do Prenup

While Shay and Davies have yet to set a wedding date, the pair wanted to "have all our ducks in a row" and opted to sign a prenup ahead of everything, explained the bride-to-be.

Meeting with their attorneys and a notary to go through and sign their 35-page prenuptial agreement, the duo was told by Davies' attorney that it was "somewhat unusual to sign a document before there's a wedding date set."

However, Shay was adamant about the document's importance.

"First time around when I got married, we didn't do a prenup," she said. "But there was an addiction problem and when the trust was broken, I realized this isn't a marriage I want to continue."

'Big Lesson'

Shay explained that her ex-husband declined to grant her a divorce at first but was later swayed after she offered to divide her bank account.

"He didn't want to get divorced and I was like, 'How about we split our bank account?' And then he agreed," shared the Bravo star.

Shay further opened up about her divorce in a confessional: "I definitely learned a big lesson. No matter how much you love someone and they love you, there's always a risk that you could lose everything. I just don't want to take that risk again."

Shay and her ex-husband called it quits in November 2016, with the moment airing on Season 5 of Vanderpump Rules, per PEOPLE. Likewise, their wedding two years prior was also televised, with their divorce finalizing in May 2017.

Balcony Proposal

Once the legal stuff was out of the way, Davies was ready to carry on with the romantic part of the deal, sweeping a blindfolded Shay back to their Los Angeles apartment for the big proposal. There, out on the balcony he filled with balloons and rose petals, he dropped down on one knee and popped the question.

"You make me the best and I don't want to do anything without you ever," Davies said in his proposal speech, all the while holding Shay's hands beneath an arch of white-and-gold balloons that said, "Marry Me."

Davies continued: "You are the best mom. You are the best girlfriend and I want to make you the best wife. Honey, will you be my wife?," to which Shay replied, "Of course."

Happy Family

As The Inquisitr previously reported , the lovebirds got engaged in July, three months after welcoming their only child together, daughter Summer Moon Honey Davies.

Davies has two kids from a previous relationship, Eli and Winter, who live with their mother in Australia.

The former pro rugby player is planning to follow up his surprise proposal to Shay with a "surprise shotgun wedding," and is hoping Tom Sandoval will officiate the ceremony.

However, during yesterday's episode, it seemed like Sandoval was having cold feet about the wedding, which Davies wants to have in secret during James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss's engagement party at a beautiful winery.

]]>

Chelsea Handler Enjoys String Bikini Skiing In Fresh Snow

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:57 AM PST

Chelsea Handler is quite literally skiing through a fresh blanketing of snow while stripped down to a tiny, pot-print bikini. The comedian and social media favorite was back in her swimwear for a particularly brave stab at the cold yesterday, posting photos of herself in woods and on skis, but there were no pants and no jacket as the blonde went for a pool look.

The 46-year-old, known for her love of marijuana, was also back to shouting out the recreational drug. Check it out below.

It's Always Bikini Season

Scroll for the photos. The Chelsea Lately star, a bikini regular on her Instagram, opened all smiles and posing on a fairytale-like path covered in snow and framed by blanketed trees. The blonde was in knee-high socks and ski boots while on skies, also flaunting her famous curves in a string two-piece covered in prints of the marijuana leaf.

Chelsea sent out a massive grin while rocking a warm beanie hat, also holding a mason jar of weed and a bottle of vodka.

See The Photos Below

Handler, who has gained over 150,000 likes for her post, announced tour dates with a swipe right, also writing:

"I just found out that due to popular demand we are adding a SECOND Los Angeles show on May 5th. To celebrate, I thought why not ski through the woods, and then found a mason jar of weed and my favorite vodka!" She added: "Who knows how this got here but you can get yourself to my LA show on presale now with code: HORNY on chelseahandler.com."

Scroll For More Snaps

Chelsea, who did postpone her recent Vancouver shows due to Omicron, further drove fans to swipe as she concluded: "Swipe⬅️to see all my new 2022 second shows added plus new cities. Can't wait to see you!"

Quick to comment was The Masked Singer judge Nicole Scherzinger. The singer told Chelsea: "The 🔥🔥🔥 thang in the ❄️ ❄️❄️😍." Also leaving a like was Legally Blonde actress Selma Blair. Chelsea is, of course, no stranger to stripping down on Instagram. More photos below.

Posting Old 'Playboy' Cover

The New York Times best-selling author has also been flashing the flesh in throwback mode. Ahead of the holidays last year, she posted a Playboy cover to Instagram, one that's over a decade old. The racy shot came with the star telling her followers:

"12 years later, and I'm still screwing up xmas parties, but now with less clothes on." Chelsea has since updated with a touching tribute to Full House star Bob Saget, who died January 8, aged 65. Follow her account for more.

]]>

AJ Styles Vs Grayson Waller On NXT 2.0 Praised By Fans

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:42 AM PST

AJ Styles vs Grayson Waller headlined this week's episode of WWE NXT 2.0.

While AJ Styles is an established star, Grayson Waller is just starting his WWE career. A match against Styles in the main event had the potential to catapult him up to the next level.

It was a match that needed to deliver and according to the response from fans, it did exactly that. Scroll down to reveal what some fans are saying about AJ Styles vs Grayson Waller.

Fan Response To AJ Styles Vs Grayson Waller

On the Cagematch website, fans have been writing comments about the match.

"The match was very good, a perfect way to shine a new superstar due to the quality of AJ Styles' work," wrote one viewer.

"I'm very excited to see AJ Styles in NXT 2.0. I'm a big fan of his and it's great that he's helping young talent at this point in his career. Rightfully AJ won, but Grayson comes out of this match much improved," wrote another.

Styles came away from the match the winner but a storyline development took place after. Scroll down to reveal what happened next.

LA Knight Attacks Grayson Waller

After the match, AJ Styles got on the microphone to cut a promo. He told Waller that he is good but he's not yet phenomenal.

With Waller on the outside of the ring, LA Knight's music then hit and the returning Superstar came out to the ring area. Knight had been gone for weeks due to an injury he suffered at the hands of Waller and now he was back for revenge.

Knight clotheslined his rival out of the ring to close the segment.

The match has to be considered a success by WWE in terms of getting Waller over as a new Superstar. It's far from the best match Styles has ever had, however. Scroll down to reveal some of the best matches from AJ Styles' career.

AJ Styles' Top Matches Of All Time

According to fan votes, the best match of AJ Styles' career took place at TNA Unbreakable in 2005. He wrestled a widely praised triple threat match against Samoa Joe and Christopher Danielson on that show. The match also received a 5-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

The 2nd best match of Styles' career according to fan votes was his Wrestle Kingdom 10 match against Shinsuke Nakamura in 2016 for NJPW.

The top WWE match of AJ Styles' career according to fan votes, took place on the August 6th 2020 episode of Friday Night Smackdown. Styles wrestled Daniel Bryan that night.

Styles also revealed something else on NXT 2.0 this week. Scroll down to reveal what that was.

AJ Styles Declares For The 2022 Royal Rumble

Before his match with Grayson Waller last night on NXT 2.0, Styles cut a backstage promo. During the interview, Styles said he plans on winning the Royal Rumble this year and going on to main event WrestleMania. It was Styles officially declaring that he plans on being in this year's Rumble match.

Styles made his WWE debut in the Royal Rumble match in 2016. He also competed in both the 2020 and 2021 Rumbles. Perhaps 2022 is the year he finally wins it.

]]>

Ja Morant vs. Derrick Rose And Russell Westbrook Comparison: Grizzlies Star Is Just Getting Started

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:42 AM PST

Every now and then, a young player comes out of the blue to take the NBA by storm and turn a small-market team into must-watch TV.

That's the case with Memphis Grizzlies youngster Ja Morant, one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league, a young leader, and perhaps the most athletic and explosive point guard we've seen in quite some time.

Morant has the rebuilding Grizzlies ahead of schedule already and looks poised to lead them to a deep playoff run.

Ja Morant: The New NBA Sensation

Morant is just electric. He's a never-ending burst of energy and a guy that won't hesitate to throw the hammer down even over the league's finest rim protectors.

Through his first three years in the league, he's averaged 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals. and 1.2 three-pointers per game on 47% from the floor, winning Rookie of the Year honors.

His explosive and aggressive style, speed, and athleticism have made fans compare him to Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose, two high-flying point guards who could finish over anyone in their primes. But how does he stack up against them? Let's break it down.

Better Than Russell Westbrook?

Russell Westbrook was a bit of a late bloomer. Albeit a member of the All-Rookie Team, he didn't earn ROY honors as Morant did.

Westbrook was - and is - as explosive as Morant during his first three years in the league. His assist averages were higher (5.3, 8.2, 8.0 to Morant's 7.3, 7.4, 6.7) but his scoring totals were lower (15.3, 16.1. 21.9 to 17.8, 19.1, 24.9).

Also, Westbrook was a better defender and a bigger threat in passing lanes, averaging nearly 1.6 steals per game during his first three years in the league.

Derrick Rose 2.0?

Derrick Rose was the chosen one. He was deemed to take down LeBron James as the best player in the Eastern Conference before going down with injuries, becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history.

Notably, Rose's averages in his first three seasons were pretty similar to Morant's.

Rose averaged 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in his rookie season, then 20.8, 3.8, and 6.0. In his third year, Rose averaged 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists.

Morant, on the other hand, has averaged 17.8/3.9/7.3; then 19.1/4.0/7.4; and now 24.9/5.7/6.3.

Even so, fans are worried about Morant's health and fear he could suffer the same fate as Rose, as he doesn't take care of his landings and looks like an injury waiting to happen every time he dunks the ball.

A Superstar In The Making

It's clear that Ja Morant is one of the new faces of the league, and the scariest part is that he just keeps getting better:

"He's just controlling the games," Kein Durant said of him. "Always been an efficient player who can run the point guard spot, but he's developed into a major scorer as well. He just plays with great pace out there, plays with joy and enthusiasm, and you see him blossoming in front of our eyes. I mean since college he's been on this trajectory, and as a basketball fan you can't wait to see what it's like years going forward."

The comparisons with former guards are and will always be there, but he's coming into a player of his own and he's just getting started.

]]>

 

NOVA CELEBS © 2015 | Distributed By My Blogger Themes | Designed By Templateism.com