Morant completed acrobatic lay-ups and flew for blocks throughout his four-season career, but it was one of his most unlikely feats to date. Somehow he had managed to create a feel-good ejection.
The scene encapsulated several essential elements of Morant’s growing popularity: his competitive edge on the court, his accessibility to fans, his technological savvy, and his diligence in defending himself, his teammates, and the city of Memphis.
While Morant is a stunning scorer and playmaker, his fearlessness, charisma and salesmanship have positioned him as one of many young stars poised to take the reins of an NBA long ruled by LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Indeed, with Curry sidelined with a shoulder injury for a Christmas Day showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Grizzlies, Morant will serve as the holiday headliner.
That kind of attention took a long time to come for Morant, who didn’t play for a high school basketball factory or a college blue blood program. Despite playing a game that evokes comparisons to Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul and Steve Nash, the wiry 6-foot-2 point guard has rarely topped the leaderboard in the basketball world. Morant twice led Murray State to the NCAA Tournament, but the small-school Kentucky couldn’t crack the Sweet 16. He was selected second in the 2019 draft but was clearly eclipsed by No. 1 pick Zion Williamson.
Morant joined a rebuilding Grizzlies franchise that plays in the league’s smallest TV market and quickly turned it into a perennial winner. But his best playoff streak — a second-round streak against the Warriors in May — was marred by an untimely knee injury. Morant scored 47 points in a Game 2 win in front of a raucous home crowd, but was forced to watch the final three games from the sidelines as the Warriors closed the series and won the title.
Last summer, Morant called for a Christmas rematch, and after having a brief practice game on Twitter with Warriors forward Draymond Green, the NBA granted his wish. Remarkably, Sunday will be the Grizzlies’ first Christmas appearance in their 28-year history.
This showcase treatment was not an act of charity: according to league data, Morant’s 351 million views on social media this season ranks second only to Curry’s 485 million views among all players. of the NBA. Morant’s two best moments – a block against the Houston Rockets and a steal against the New Orleans Pelicans – drew 35 million and 25 million views respectively, making them the two most-watched social media clips of the league. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have seen the biggest percentage increase in Instagram followers of any team, and their regional TV shows rank fifth in the league in household rankings thanks to an increase of 82. % year over year.
“Ja Morant put the Grizzlies on the map,” said Keith Parish, podcast host for Grind City Media and a die-hard Grizzlies fan since the franchise’s move from Vancouver in 2001. fans who have long considered ‘being ignored’ a personality trait, so it’s kind of surreal to have a superstar who has become one of the faces of the NBA Having a game on Christmas Day would have been incomprehensible it not so long ago.
Memphis enters Sunday with a 20-11 record, tied for best in the Western Conference, despite injuries to two of Morant’s top sidekicks, defensive tackle Jaren Jackson Jr. and guard Desmond Bane. Morant has consistently been excellent throughout the roster changes, averaging 26.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists while rewriting the franchise record books along the way.
After scoring 49 points in an early-season win over the Rockets, Morant has the five-best performances in franchise history, either in the regular season or in the playoffs. And with three triple-doubles in the past month, he passed Marc Gasol for the franchise career record in that category.
The Grizzlies, who tied their franchise record with 56 wins last season, are on track for 53 this season. Morant leads an offense that averages six players in double figures, while Jackson, who returned from a foot injury in mid-November, leads a top-10 defense that is physical and aggressive.
“We’re showing we’ve got several guys who can go out there and get that ball,” Morant said after posting a triple-double in a blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 15. [scouting report], you must name everyone on the list. We have a lot of guys playing with extreme confidence.
Morant’s brash approach and ruthless style of the Grizzlies have won them fans and haters alike. Memphis magazine recently named the entire crew “Memphians of the Year 2022” because they “lifted the spirits of our city,” and Morant’s “Griddy” dance has become a staple of raucous post-season celebrations. match. Tee Morant is a local celebrity and regular on the pitch, while Morant’s 3-year-old daughter Kaari has more than 119,000 followers on an Instagram account run by her parents. In a recent home win, the Grizzlies joined their crowd in a vigorous rendition of the wave.
“It’s the loot of our team and our city,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “I hope we create more moments like this.”
Their loot is not for everyone. This month, a two-minute reel featuring clips of Morant running away while traveling and carrying the ball garnered over 9 million views on Twitter. The video’s editor said “pure basketball is gone” and that Morant “needs to be stopped.”
During last season’s playoffs, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was furious when Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks committed a flagrant foul that injured Gary Payton II, and Green danced around the FedEx Forum court as to prove he wasn’t intimidated by the surroundings. When Morant suffered a fluky knee injury later in the series and blamed Warriors guard Jordan Poole, Bay Area fans and national analysts rushed to Poole’s defense.
“I’m sick of today’s players,” said TNT analyst Charles Barkley. “There’s no one trying to hurt anyone. I was kissed harder than that.
Morant’s unfiltered and accessible online persona – he’s a high-volume poster with a chip on his shoulder – nonetheless remains central to his appeal to fans and teammates alike. Grizzlies TV reporter Kelcey Wright Johnson noted that Morant took to social media to defend former teammate Grayson Allen from criticism and to thank Jae Crowder for helping his NBA adjustment, in addition to naming Jackson, Bane and Brooks for the end of season awards. .
“Ja is fiercely loyal,” Johnson said. “When it comes to his family, friends and teammates, he takes care of a lot of people. Ja would do anything for them. Through that loyalty, he earns the trust of his guys.
Curry’s absence over Christmas ensures that all eyes will be on Morant, and the rematch at Chase Center should rekindle grudges from last season’s playoffs while offering a glimpse into the NBA’s future.
There are plenty of boxes left for Morant to check before the league is his – an all-NBA first team selection, an MVP, a trip to the Western Conference Finals and, of course, a championship – but Sunday will see him to perform on a stage he has coveted for a long time.
“We’re playing some of our best basketball right now,” Morant said. “When teams come up against us, they have to be ready to come out and play. That’s the message we send to the league.
