Ja Morant: From Murray State to NBA Stardom and Signature Sneakers
Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant (born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Morant's journey to NBA stardom is a story of perseverance, exceptional talent, and the impact of college basketball on shaping a future star.
Early Life and High School Career
Ja Morant's basketball journey began in his backyard, where he honed his skills under the guidance of his father, Tee Morant. Tee, who played college basketball, taught him step-back jump shots and used tractor tires to help him practice jumping with soft landings. Even as a child, Morant displayed a fearless attitude, telling his mother, "I'm not worried about the big kids" when facing older opponents.
Morant played in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit with the South Carolina Hornets. He attended Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina. He grew from 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) to 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) in his first three years with the team. Morant left as its all-time leading scorer, with 1,679 points, and scored a career-high 47 points against Sumter High School. In his last two seasons at Crestwood, he averaged 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game, earning South Carolina Class 3A All-State honors both years.
Despite his impressive high school career, Morant was lightly recruited by NCAA Division I programs and unranked by recruiting services. His only high major NCAA Division I offer came from South Carolina.
The Murray State Years: A Star is Born
Morant's college career at Murray State University (MSU) proved to be a turning point. He was accidentally discovered by mid-major program Murray State of the OVC in July 2016, when assistant coach James Kane attended a camp hoping to see a player who was joining his team. Murray State’s head coach, Matt McMahon, considered him “a basketball genius,” possessing great athleticism and intelligence. Morant ultimately decided to play for MSU.
Read also: Best Hair Salons near Rice University
Freshman Season (2017-2018)
On November 10, 2017, Morant debuted for Murray State with 7 points and a team-high 11 assists in a 118-61 victory over Brescia University of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He recorded his first career double-double on December 12, 2017, with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in a 69-55 loss to Saint Louis. He posted his first triple-double on December 28, recording 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in an 80-52 win over Eastern Illinois. It was the second triple-double in school history, the first coming from Isacc Miles in 1984, and was also the record for most assists at a CFSB Center game, surpassing the old mark of 12 established by Aubrey Reese against Alabama State in 1999. Morant also had the third-most assists in a single game by a Murray State player. On February 1, 2018, he scored a season-high 23 points against Southeast Missouri State.
Averaging 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, Morant earned first-team All-OVC and OVC All-Newcomer Team accolades. His 6.3 assists per game ranked 14th in the nation. Morant and Murray State advanced to the NCAA Tournament his freshman season after capturing an OVC championship in a 68-51 win over Belmont. Morant had 15 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in that game.
Sophomore Season (2018-2019)
Morant began to register on the radar of some scouts the summer of his sophomore season in 2018. He was one of 20 players invited to Chris Paul's Elite Guard Camp, which Morant called, "an honor".
In his season debut, he recorded 26 points and 11 assists in a 74-53 win against Wright State. On November 24, 2018, Morant posted 29 points, a season-high 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 77-66 win over Missouri State, becoming the first Murray State player to ever record multiple triple-doubles. In his next game, he scored a season-high 38 points in a 78-72 loss to Alabama, the 12th-most single-game points by a player in school history.
By around December 2018, Morant was almost unanimously projected as a top-five selection in the 2019 NBA draft, and in late January 2019, at least one outlet forecasted him as the first overall selection. On January 10, 2019, Morant was named to the midseason top 25 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. On the same day, he broke the school record for most assists in a single game, with 18, while scoring 26 points against UT Martin. He established a new scoring career high nine days later on January 19, when he recorded 40 points, 11 assists, and 5 steals, shooting 21-of-21 from the free throw line, in a victory over SIU Edwardsville. He broke the OVC record for most consecutive free throws made in a game, and he became the tenth player in Murray State history to record a 40-point game. Morant also became the first NCAA Division I men's player in 20 years to tally at least 40 points, 10 assists, and 5 steals in a single game. On February 2, Morant collected 28 points and 7 assists in a 67-63 win over Tennessee Tech.
Read also: US Education System Performance
At the end of the regular season, he was named OVC Player of the Year and first-team All-OVC, while leading the NCAA Division I in assists. He later earned first-team All-American honors from the United States Basketball Writers Association and second-team All-American honors from The Sporting News. On March 8, in the semifinals of the OVC tournament versus Jacksonville State, Morant scored 29 points, including a game-winning three-point play. One day later, he recorded 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in a 77-65 upset victory over the Belmont Bruins, who were playing without injured first team All-OVC center Nick Muszynski, for the OVC Tournament title. Morant was subsequently named the tournament's MVP.
On March 21, in an 83-64 win over fifth-seeded Marquette in the first round of the 2019 NCAA tournament, Morant posted 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists. He became the eighth player to officially record a triple-double in the history of the tournament, and the first player since Draymond Green in 2012. In the second round, he chipped in 28 points in a season-ending 90-62 loss to fourth-seeded Florida State.
Morant averaged 24.5 points and 10 assists per game in his sophomore year, the first men’s player to average at least 20 points and 10 assists since the NCAA started keeping records of assists in 1983-84. Shortly thereafter, Morant announced that he was leaving school to enter the 2019 NBA draft.
NBA Career: Memphis Grizzlies
Morant was drafted second overall during the 2019 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. On July 2, 2019, he signed a four-year contract worth $39.6 million with the Grizzlies.
Rookie Season (2019-2020)
On October 23, 2019, Morant made his NBA debut, starting in a 101-120 loss to the Miami Heat with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block. In his first season in the NBA, 2019-20, Morant averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game and was a near-unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year, winning 99 of 100 first-place votes. He helped lead Memphis, which had finished 12th in the Western Conference the previous season, to a play-in game for the postseason. However, the team lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Read also: Waterville's Colby College
Subsequent Seasons
In his second season, Morant posted similar stats, and Memphis qualified for the playoffs but was defeated by the Utah Jazz in the first round. Morant then had a breakout season in 2021-22, averaging 27.4 points per game as the Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference with a record of 56-26. In the playoffs, the team advanced to the conference semifinals, where Memphis lost to the Golden State Warriors. Morant won the Most Improved Player Award and finished seventh in the MVP vote.
On January 26, Morant tied his season-high 41 points, alongside 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in a 118-110 win against the San Antonio Spurs. On January 27, Morant was selected to his first All-Star Game as a West Starter. The next day, Morant logged his fourth career triple-double with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 119-109 win over the Utah Jazz. On February 16, Morant tied his then-career high with 44 points, including a career-high 20 points in the first quarter, grabbed 5 rebounds and delivered 11 assists in a 123-119 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers. On February 26, Morant scored a then-career-high 46 points in a 116-110 win over the Chicago Bulls. The total was the record for most points in a game by a Grizzlies player, breaking Mike Miller's record set in February 2007. On February 28, Morant bested this total, scoring a career-high 52 points, on an efficient 22-of-30 shooting, including 4-4 from beyond the arc, in a 118-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs. On March 18, he tweaked his right knee against the Atlanta Hawks and missed nine games. Morant led the Grizzlies to their first Southwest Division title in franchise history.
On April 21, 2022, during Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs, Morant posted 16 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 104-95 Game 3 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the first postseason triple-double in Grizzlies franchise history. In Game 5, Morant scored the game-winning layup with one second left, finishing with 30 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in a 111-109 win. He scored 18 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. On May 3, during Game 2 of the second round of the playoffs Morant put up a playoff career-high 47 points along with 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in a 106-101 win over the Golden State Warriors. He scored the last 15 points for Memphis and also became just the third player in NBA playoffs history to have multiple 45-point games before turning 23 years old, joining Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. On May 7, Morant injured his right knee in game 3 of the series and Memphis would go on to lose in 6 games. On July 6, 2022, Morant signed a five-year extension with the Grizzlies. The deal includes $193 million of guaranteed money, increasing to $231 million contingent upon his selection to an All-NBA team.
On October 21, in the second game of the season, Morant recorded 49 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 blocks on 17-of-26 shooting from the field in a 129-122 win over the Houston Rockets. He set the Grizzlies franchise mark for most points scored through the first two games of a season (83). On November 27, Morant put up his fifth career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 127-123 win over the New York Knicks. He also tied Marc Gasol for the most triple-doubles in Grizzlies history. On December 7, Morant put up his sixth career triple-double with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists In a 123-102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. On January 29, Morant put up his seventh career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 112-100 win over the Indiana Pacers. He also became the first player in Grizzlies history to put up at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game. On February 2, Morant was named to his second NBA All-Star Game as a reserve guard for the Western Conference. On February 28, Morant scored 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter and added 10 assists and 10 rebounds to achieve his 10th career triple-double in a 121-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 3 of the Grizzlies' first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Morant put up 45 points, with 22 of those coming from the fourth quarter, alongside 13 assists and nine rebounds in a 111-101 loss.
Morant’s fourth season (2022-23) was marred by an eight-game suspension, which the NBA levied in March 2023, after he live streamed a video in which he displayed a gun while at a nightclub. He later apologized and received counseling for handling stress. On the court, Morant had another strong season, averaging 26.2 points and 8.1 assists per game. Several months later, in June 2023, Morant was suspended again-this time for 25 games-after a live stream video showed him flashing a gun from the passenger seat of a car. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said “that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.” Morant issued a statement through his representatives apologizing to the NBA, his team, Memphis, and to kids for failing them as a role model.
Morant missed some two months of the 2023-24 season. However, after returning in December 2023, he played in only nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Without their star point guard, the Grizzlies finished the season with a record of 27-55.
On April 1, 2025, Morant and Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield made gun-aiming gestures at one another. The league briefly investigated the circumstance in light of Morant's history of firearms controversies and concluded that "the celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature, but inappropriate." Warnings were issued by the league to him and Hield about their conduct. In Morant's next game on April 3, he again made multiple gun-aiming gestures. He finished the game with his second career game-winning buzzer beater to beat the Miami Heat 110-108. When asked post-game about the criticism he has faced for his in-game gestures, he said that he was "well aware" and "kind of used to" what is said about him. Reflecting on the narrative around him, he said, "I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it's going to be out there. So, yeah.
Controversy
On February 5, 2023, The Athletic released a report describing an altercation between associates of Morant and members of the Indiana Pacers, whom the team played on January 29. During the game, Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard got into a verbal altercation with Morant's father. Morant then came over and exchanged words with Nembhard, and Pacers guard Chris Duarte also tried to engage in a physical altercation with Morant. Later on, a person in an SUV, which Morant was riding in, allegedly pointed a red laser at the bus. Two members of the Pacers' party that spoke to The Athletic believed that the laser was attached to a gun. A Pacers security guard near the bus loading area remarked, "That's one hundred percent a gun" and another person present stated that they "felt we were in grave danger." The NBA later investigated the incident, interviewing multiple people and reviewing surveillance footage. Spokesman Mike Bass stated to The Athletic that while the league "substantiated that a postgame situation arose that was confrontational", they could not "corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon." Bass also said that "certain individuals involved" in the incidents were banned from attending games at FedEx Forum, the Grizzlies' arena. Shoe company Nike, which Morant has a partnership with, released a statement, saying "We appreciate Ja's accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. On March 15, Morant met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver in New York after exiting from his counseling program. Multiple top NBA executives also attended the meeting. The same day, the NBA announced that they had suspended Morant for eight games without pay for the nightclub incident.
In September 2022, Morant was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed in Shelby County, Tennessee. In the suit, the plaintiff accused him of punching a 17-year-old male during a pickup basketball game at Morant's home in July of that year. Morant and the 17-year-old had reportedly engaged in a verbal altercation during the game, and the 17-year-old "accidentally" hit Morant. Morant then punched the 17-year-old and knocked him to the ground, after which he struck him an additional number of times. When responding officials questioned him, Morant claimed that he acted in self-defens…
Signature Sneaker: The Ja 1's
Morant's impact extends beyond the court, as he has joined the ranks of NBA stars with his own signature sneaker line with Nike. The Ja 1's have been a hit with players and fans alike, with different colorways representing stops on his basketball journey.
Gifting the Next Generation
Christmas came in the summer for the Memphis Tigers volleyball team. Excitement was building for the annual gear day in early August, ahead of the season. The players entered the locker room together and ripped open gift wrap that revealed brand new apparel. One special delivery stood out from the pack. This year’s surprise? A brand new pair of Ja 1's that many people hadn’t even had access to yet. Shortly after, a photo was posted on the team’s social media accounts. “Everyone was seeing it and was like, ‘Y’all got Ja’s?’ ” senior setter Loren Robertson said. “We were like, ‘Yep! Y'all don't, we do!’ ”
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant announced last Christmas that he was receiving his own signature sneaker with Nike, and he teased and debuted a few colorways. Memphis isn’t the only school surprised with Ja 1 sneakers. Murray State, Radford and Mississippi Valley State recently also have been gifted Ja 1's.
A theme for each colorway has been about the stops on Morant's journey. He played college basketball at Murray State before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Former Murray State assistant coach Shane Nichols is now at Radford, and Morant’s younger sister, Niya, is in her freshman year on the Mississippi Valley State women's basketball team.
“Coming here with it being my first year and all, the excitement of the new gear we were going to get was so exciting, but especially seeing Ja’s shoes made me really excited,” freshman outside hitter Hannah Jones said. “I’ve always been interested in watching Ja play in the NBA and seeing how cool his shoes were . . . The opportunity of getting to wear them is so cool.”
Memphis, Murray State and Radford received the ember glow colorway. Mississippi Valley State got a special delivery with an unreleased colorway that’s not expected to debut until closer to Halloween. The shoes have even started to trickle their way into NBA preseason action. Grizzlies players Shaq Harrison, Jacob Gilyard and David Roddy each wore a colorway in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers. T.J. McConnell, who plays point guard for the Pacers, wore the bright mandarin Ja 1's against the Grizzlies.
“They’re good for sure,” Roddy said. “Lightweight, durable and has support for an explosive athlete like he is.”
Performance on the Court
It’s not just the NBA players who have given positive reviews. Though some volleyball players and teams wear Nike basketball shoes, it’s not uncommon to see volleyball sneakers on the court from brands like Mizuno, Adidas and Asics, among others. Memphis junior outside hitter Tabytha Toelke has had foot injuries throughout her career. She has worn what she calls volleyball shoes, and she also has laced up in other signature Nike shoes. This season, she has worn only the Nike Ja 1's the past two months, and she’s encouraged by the results. “I haven’t really had issues with these that have hurt my feet,” Toelke said. “So far, I think these are the best ones that my feet haven’t hurt in.”
Outside of Morant’s reverse colorways on previous releases, the EYBL Ja 1 player exclusives that debuted in Memphis this summer and Tiffany Hayes’ golden swoosh PE Ja 1's have been available to the public. Morant is serving a 25-game NBA suspension for conduct detrimental to the league, so other than in occasional practice clips, he won’t be seen playing basketball in his sneakers until December. If you want to see the new flavors, look no further than the connections Morant has made in his basketball journey. “I got to find a newer shoe for the rotation,” Roddy said.
