Ja Morant Biography
Ja Morant (Temetrius Jamel “Ja” Morant) is an American college basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association.
Morant drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
Ja was born in Dalzell, South Carolina as the son of former basketball player Tee Morant. He was lightly recruited by NCAA Division I programs and unranked by recruiting services despite earning All-State distinction at Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina.
He later made an immediate impact at Murray State, earning first-team All-OVC honors as a freshman. Morant had a breakout sophomore season, which saw him win OVC Player of the Year while surpassing the school record for triple-doubles and the conference record for single-season assists, which also led the entire NCAA that season.
Ja Morant High School
Morant went to Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina. In his first three years with the basketball team, Ja grew from 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) to 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m).
In his final two seasons for Crestwood, JA averaged 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game, earning South Carolina Class 3A All-State honors in both years.
When he left the team, he left as its all-time leading scorer, with 1,679 points and set a career-high with 56 points against Sumter High School. He also left as a three-time All-Region Most Valuable Player (MVP).
He, however, could not dunk until he was a senior.
Ja Morant College Career | Ja Morant Murray State
Ja averaged 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, starting in all 32 of his games as a freshman for Murray State, and on November 13, 2017, against Middle Tennessee, he debuted with a team-high 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
On December 28, he posted his first triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in an 80–52 victory over Eastern Illinois and this happened to be the second triple-double in school history, the first coming from Isacc Miles in 1984.
Later on February 1, 2018, he scored a season-high 23 points against Southeast Missouri State and at the end of the season, Ja earned first-team All-OVC and OVC All-Newcomer Team accolades.
With the departures of key players Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller, Ja assumed a leading role as a sophomore. In his debut season, Ja recorded 26 points and 11 assists in a 74–53 win against Wright State and on November 24, 2018, he 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, Ja 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, he 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.
According to Pat Forde, Yahoo! Sports journalist, “He seems almost certain to be the first top ten pick from a mid-major school in five years (Elfrid Payton, Louisiana-Lafayette), and could be the first true mid-major pick in the top five since Michael Olowokandi of Pacific went No. 1 in 1998.”
Ja was named to the midseason top 25 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award on January 10, 2019, and 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. Nine days later, on January 19, he established a new scoring career-high, 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.
Ja broke the OVC record for most consecutive free throws made in a game, and he became the 10th player in Murray State history to record a 40-point game. He 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, he collected 28 points and 7 assists in a 67–63 win over Tennessee Tech and he broke the school single-season assist record of 212 set by Chad Townsend in the 1996–97 season.
After posting 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 102–70 victory over Eastern Kentucky, Ja became the 46th Murray State player with 1,000 career points and eclipsed the OVC record for single-season assists previously held for 32 years by Duane Washington of Middle Tennessee.
At the end of the regular season, Ja was named OVC Player of the Year and first-team OVC and he also led the entire NCAA in assists during this time. In the semifinals of the OVC Tournament versus Jacksonville State, on March 8, Ja scored 29 points, including a game-winning three-point play. A day later, he recorded 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in a 77–65 victory over Belmont for the OVC Tournament title. He was named the tournament’s MVP and was later named a member of the USBWA’s All-American First Team and Sporting News’ All-American Second Team for his performances at Murray State.
On March 21, Ja recorded his third triple-double of the season with 19 points, 16 assists, and 12 rebounds in an 83-64 win over number 5 ranked Marquette and he became the eighth player to ever record a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament.
Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies
During the 2019 NBA draft, Morant was drafted second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. He signed with the team on July 2, 2019.
Morant made his NBA debut on October 23, 2019, in a 101–120 loss to the Miami Heat. He had 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block. He is leading rookies in points per game. Morant has 25 points per game while shooting 53%.
Ja Morant Age
Ja is 20 years old as of 2019. He was born on August 10, 1999.
Ja Morant Girlfriend
Morant is in a relationship with a girl named KK Dixon who is now the mother to their baby. The couple has been dating since fall 2018.
Ja Morant Baby
The lovebirds welcomed their baby girl on Sep 7, 2019. The couple announced the arrival of their daughter, who is named Kaari J through Instagram.
According to a post by KK Dixon, the baby arrived two months earlier of the scheduled date. She wrote in part, “Meet Kaari J.
August 7, 2019, I became a mama. She came 2 months earlier than expected, but I’m so thankful for God watching over us and for the support from everyone in our corner. I wouldn’t have traded this process for anything. She’s so perfect.”
Ja Morant Body Measurements
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches
- Weight: 79 Kg
- Shoe Size: Not Available
- Body Shape: Not Available
- Hair Colour: Black
- Eye Colour: Brown
Ja Morant Recruiting
Ja was not ranked by recruiting services ESPN, 247Sports, or Rivals. His only high major NCAA Division I offer came from South Carolina and he was also planned to be recruited by USC, though he had already made his own decision by then.
In July 2016, he was accidentally discovered by mid-major program Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) when assistant coach James Kane attended a camp hoping to see a player who was joining his team.
James Kane noticed Ja playing a three-on-three game in an auxiliary gym and he was impressed. He, therefore, contacted head coach Matt McMahon, who soon offered Ja a scholarship and on September 3, 2016, Ja, committed to playing for Murray State during dinner at McMahon’s house.
Ja’s father said, “Every parent wants their child to play at a big-time program, but what I realized is, don’t go where you want to be, go to where they want you.”
Ja Morant Draft
Morant was drafted as the second overall selection of the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Ja Morant Height
Morant stands at a height of 6 feet 3 inches.
Ja Morant Dunk
Ja Morant College Stats
|
Year
|
Team
|
GP
|
GS
|
MPG
|
FG%
|
3P%
|
FT%
|
RPG
|
APG
|
SPG
|
BPG
|
PPG
|
|
2017–18
|
Murray State
|
32
|
32
|
34
|
0.459
|
0.307
|
0.806
|
6.5
|
6.3
|
0.9
|
0.4
|
12.7
|
|
2018–19
|
Murray State
|
32
|
32
|
36.5
|
0.503
|
0.336
|
0.81
|
5.5
|
10
|
1.8
|
0.8
|
24.6
|
|
Career
|
64
|
64
|
35.2
|
0.487
|
0.325
|
0.809
|
6
|
8.1
|
1.4
|
0.6
|
18.5
|
|
Ja Morant Jersey
Frequently Asked Questions About Ja Morant
Who is Ja Morant?
Morant is an American college basketball player.
How old is Morant?
Ja is 20 years old as of 2019. He was born on August 10, 1999.
How tall is Morant?
Ja stands at a height of 6 feet 3 inches.
Is Morant married?
Ja is not married yet. He is, however, dating his girlfriend KK Dixon with whom he has a child together.
How much is Morant worth?
Ja’s net worth is under review.
How much does Morant make?
Ja is paid a salary of $8,730,240 at Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association.
Where does Morant live?
Ja’s place of residence is not yet known.
Is Morant dead or alive?
Ja is still alive and in good health.
Where is Morant now?
Ja plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
Ja Morant Instagram
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