Get to know NBA star Ja Morant and His Journey to the Top
Temetrius Jamel Morant, widely known as Ja Morant has become one of the most successful young players in the NBA over the past few seasons.
Ja Morant features for the Memphis Grizzlies and began to make top-level strides in 2019 when he became a consensus first-team All-American as a sophomore.
He then went on to become Rookie of the Year the season after and has since become a sensation that many fans enjoy watching every year.
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Early Years and College Records
Ja Morant was born in Dalzell, South Carolina in 1999 on August 10 to Jamie and Tee Morant.
His father played basketball at Clafin University but abandoned his career to spend time and focus on his family after Ja’s birth.
Morant began training with his father in the backyard of his home, practicing drills and skills needed to succeed at the top level.
He played in the Amateur Athletic Union circuit with the South Carolina Hornets and left the team as its all-time leading scorer with over 1678 points and a career-high 47 points in one game.
The signs were clear. Morant was born to feature at the biggest stage on American Basketball.
In 2017, NBA teams, ESPN experts and fans began to keep close tabs on Ja Morant when he was offered a scholarship by Murray State to compete there.
As a freshman, Morant set the tone beautifully with astonishing numbers to back his impressive performances.
He recorded the most assists (14) at a CFSB Center game and continued to make a difference while being consistent by the day, averaging 12.7 points per game.
That year, he became the seventh freshman in more than two decades to clinch 150 assists, 150 rebounds and also 10 blocks.
Scouts began to pick up more of Ja Morant’s exploits in 2018, and he was called up as one of the 20 players invited to Chris Paul’s Elite Guard Camp that season.
Morant was then handed more responsibility in sophomore year as some key players left the team, and became captain while continuing his impeccable run of form.
In November 2018, he then went on to make history after clinching 29 points and 13 rebounds in a Murray State win over Missouri State and became the team’s first player to record multiple triple-doubles.
In the next game against Alabama, he recorded a season-high 38 points, making him the 12th-most-single-game points by a player in the history of the institution.
In December 2018, he was then projected as a top-five selection in the 2019 NBA draft. Months on in 2019, he was reportedly forecasted as the first overall selection by some outlets.
A few days later, he went on to shatter more records.
Ja Morant was named on the mid-season top 25 list for the John R. Wooden Award and broke the record for the most assists in a single game at the school with 18 while netting 26 times.
A week later, he grabbed a new career high scoring record with 40 points, 11 assists and five steals, and broke the OVC record for the most consecutive free throws in a game.
Numerous records continued to follow as he also became the 46th Murray State player with 1000 career points and broke the OVC record for assists in a single season.
At the end of the season, he was named OVC Player of the Year and earned his first-team All-American honors from the Sporting News.
He also became the first NCAA player to ever average at least 20 points and 10 assists per game in a single season.
He later decided to forgo his last two seasons and declared himself for the 2019 NBA draft.
Professional Career and Exploits
In 2019, Ja Morant was selected as the second NBA overall draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and was handed a four-year contract worth $39.6 million that summer.
He then made his NBA debut in October 2019, recording 14 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Miami Heat in a crucial game for his side.
He went on to lead all rookies in assists with an average of seven assists per game and was named NBA Rookie of the Year and also earned his NBA All-Rookie First Team honor.
Since then, he’s continued to put in incredible numbers while clinching numerous records in his professional career.
Here are some records by Ja Morant in his illustrious and uprising career.
◦ 2022 All-NBA Second Team
◦ Two-finer NBA All Star in 2022 and 2023
◦ 2022 NBA Most Improved Player
◦ 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year
◦ 2019 Consensus-first team All American
◦ 2019 Lute Olson Award
◦ Bob Cousy Award
◦ 2019 NCAA assists leader
◦ Two-time First-team All-OVC in 2018 and 2018
◦ OVC Tournament MVP in 2019
◦ NBA All-Rookie First Team 2020
Ja Morant’s career in the last two seasons has also been accompanied by injuries.
On November 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers this season, Morant secured a hip injury that led him to exit the game.
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However, reports indicate that Morant could be back earlier than expected, as he is considered crucial for the Grizzlies’ chances of clinching silverware this season.
