Ja Morant

Morant is an American guard who entered the NBA as the second overall pick in the 2019 draft by the Memphis Grizzlies after an historic sophomore season at Murray State. He became the first player in NCAA history to average 20-plus points and 10-plus assists for a full season. In the NBA, he won Rookie of the Year in 2020, made his first All-Star team as a starter in 2022, and captured the Most Improved Player award and an All-NBA selection the same season.

Born Temetrius Jamel Morant on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina, he is the son of Tee and Jamie Morant. His mother was a high school point guard and college softball player, while his father was a high school teammate of Ray Allen and played at Claflin University before becoming a barber. Tee trained Ja in their backyard, teaching him step-back jumpers and buying tractor tires to practice explosive jumps with soft landings. Morant played AAU basketball with the South Carolina Hornets and was teammates with Zion Williamson for one season.

Morant attended Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina, where he grew from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet during his first three years. He left as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,679 points and a career-high 47 points against Sumter High School. In his final two seasons, he averaged 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game and earned South Carolina Class 3A All-State honors both years. He was a three-time All-Region Most Valuable Player. He could not dunk until his senior year.

Morant was unranked by ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals in the class of 2017. His only high-major Division I offer came from South Carolina. In July 2016, Murray State assistant James Kane accidentally discovered Morant playing three-on-three in an auxiliary gym while searching for a snack at a camp. Impressed, Kane contacted head coach Matt McMahon, who offered Morant a scholarship. Morant committed on September 3, 2016.

At Murray State, Morant was a first-team All-OVC selection as a freshman. His sophomore season was one of the most decorated in college basketball history: he led the NCAA in assists, won OVC Player of the Year, and became the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a single season. He recorded a triple-double against Marquette in the NCAA tournament and declared for the 2019 draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies selected Morant with the second overall pick. He won the 2019–20 NBA Rookie of the Year award. In 2022, he was named an All-Star starter and led the Grizzlies to the second round of the playoffs. That season, he won the Most Improved Player award and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He has signed multiple contract extensions with Memphis and has been the face of the franchise since his arrival.

Morant is an explosive, high-flying point guard with elite athleticism, court vision, and finishing ability at the rim. His combination of speed, leaping ability, and passing creativity makes him one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NBA. He attacks the paint relentlessly and elevates teammates with his playmaking, though his three-point shooting remains a developing part of his game.