In the three games he played, he averaged 38.3 points per game on 50.6%/43.3%/85.7% shooting splits. Tee was a talented enough basketball player to get some looks at NBA free agency camps and played professionally overseas, but he ended his playing career when his wife, Jamie Morant, had Ja in 1999. As for his son, who has NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Most Improved Player awards and a Nike Signature shoe deal to his name? [76] In Game 5, Morant scored the game-winning layup with one second left, finishing with 30 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in a 111109 win. Morant practiced basketball in the backyard with his father. His proud father was also a professional Basketball player until he received news of Jas possible birth. What Position Did JA Morant Play? [36], 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. Get to know the Utah Jazz's young superstar with these 10 interesting factoids about his life and career. Insane stuff. Tee Morant helped Ja learn hops by jumping daily on 20-inch-thick tractor tires. While the 10-time All-Star took a full ride to compete at. Ja Morant Went From 0 Stars to Murray State to NBA Lightning Bolt, Dwayne Edwards, who coached him at Crestwood High School, Jacque Vaughn is Getting His Shot With the Nets, But it Should've Happened Sooner. [54] At the end of the season, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year[55] and earned the NBA All-Rookie First Team honor. Tee Morant is famous as the father of a highly successful NBA player. Teniya spent her formative years practicing the game in the backyard alongside her big brother. [86] On December 7, Morant put up his sixth career triple-double with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists In a 123102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The young teen is friendly and determined to make her own name as a professional basketball player. Tee has always been exuberant in supporting his son and heckling opponents, and according to Ja, his dad is likely to get tossed out for talking too much. The main thing out of my game that he had was his athleticism. Figuring out how to defend future NBA lottery pick Ja Morant of Murray State", "Morant leads Murray State past Missouri State 77-66", "Showman Morant Dazzles But Racers Fall At Alabama", "How a hungry coach led to the discovery of viral college sensation Ja Morant", "College basketball: 2019 John Wooden Award midseason top 25 announced", "Morant & Brown Lead Racers' Blitz At UTM", "Ja Morant Scores 40, Murray State Rolls Past SIU-Edwardsville", "Morant Sets OVC Free Throw Record - Racers Win At SIUE", "Racers Rally For Win At Tech - Morant Sets Assist Record", "Racers Hit Century Mark - Morant Sets OVC Assist Record & Reaches 1,000 Points", "Racer Trio Named All-OVC - Morant MVP & Buchanan Defensive POY", "3 one-on-one matchups we can't wait to see in the NCAA tournament", "Morant Named Second-Team All-American by Sporting News", "Morant hits winner, sends Murray St. to OVC final", "Ja Morant drops 36 points against Belmont as Murray State punches ticket to March Madness", "Murray State's Ja Morant rising to stardom", "Morant Thrives, Racers Advance With NCAA Win Over Marquette", "Racers' NCAA Run Ends With Loss To Florida State", "Ja Morant Ends Season as First Player in NCAA History to Average 20 Points, 10 Assists", "Grizzlies select Ja Morant with second overall pick in 2019 NBA Draft", "Grizzlies sign Ja Morant to multi-year contract", "Ja Morant's game-winner the latest tantalizing sign of what's ahead for Memphis Grizzlies", "Ja Morant fuels Grizzlies' rally past Wizards with first triple-double", "2020 NBA Rising Stars: Williamson, Morant among rookies selected", "Ja Morant wins 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award", "Ja Morant, Zion Williamsom headline 2019-20 Kia All-Rookie First Team", "Ja Morant scores career-high 44 points in opening night loss to the Spurs", "Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies into NBA playoffs after ousting Golden State Warriors in overtime", "Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks Lead Grizzlies to Game 1 Upset of Mike Conley, Jazz", "Donovan Mitchell, Jazz Beat Grizzlies in Game 2 Despite Ja Morant's 47 Points", "Utah Jazz use lessons from last postseason's blown 3-1 lead to close out Memphis Grizzlies", "Morant, Melton lead Grizzlies to opening win over Cavs", "Grizzlies' Ja Morant on Missing Game-Tying FT vs. Lakers: 'Failure Builds Character', "Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant fuels second-half rally, scores 41 to bury Los Angeles Lakers", "Ja Morant scores 41 points, Memphis Grizzlies close out San Antonio Spurs late on the road", "Ja Morant named starter for 2022 NBA All-Star Game", "Morant posts 30-point triple-double as Grizzlies stay red hot", "Blazers squander big lead, recover late to upset Grizzlies", "Morant's career night elevates Grizzlies beyond Bulls' grasp", "Ja Morant sets Grizzlies franchise record with 46 points in big win over Bulls", "Hawks star Trae Young reacts to Ja Morant 'going stupid' for Grizzlies vs. Spurs", "Ja Morant injury update: Grizzlies star to be reevaluated in two weeks due to tweaked knee", "Morant returns, Grizzlies roll behind 55-point 3rd quarter", "Ja Morant Topped Darius Garland And Dejounte Murray To Win The NBA's Most Improved Player Award", "Grizzlies claw back from 26 down, beat Wolves in Game 3", "Ja Morant's highlight dunk, late heroics ignite Memphis Grizzlies' rally for Game 5 win over Minnesota Timberwolves", "Morant scores playoff career-high 47 to spark Grizzlies", "Ja Morant reaches LeBron James, Kobe Bryant territory after insane 47-point game for Grizzlies vs. Warriors", "Thompson scores 30; Warriors stop Grizzlies to reach West finals", "2022 NBA Western Conference Semifinals Warriors vs. Grizzlies", "Grizzlies' Ja Morant agrees to 5-year rookie maximum extension", "Morant agrees to massive extension with Grizz", "Ja Morant scores 49 points, Grizzlies beat Rockets 129122", "Kia MVP Ladder: Top 5 performances to open 2022-23", "Ja Morant matches Marc Gasol for Grizzlies history in just four seasons", "Ja Morant climbs to top of Grizzlies record book with insane triple-double", "Ja Morant makes Grizzlies history with unbelievable performance vs. Pacers", "Lady Barons first in shooting qualifier", "Ja Morant modeled his game after Westbrook: 'He's my favorite player', "Ja Morant Dedicates Grizzlies' Win over Thunder to Daughter on Her 1st Birthday", "Moneybagg Yo celebrates Grizzlies star Ja Morant on new hip-hop song 'Rookie of the Year', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ja_Morant&oldid=1142100149, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:09. Tee congratulates Utah's Donovan Mitchell after playoff win Ja Morants dad Tee Morant has become somewhat of a mega-celebrity during the playoffs, with mixed reactions from the fans about his regularity on-screen and activities on social media. At this point, you may be asking, "Is Ja Morant's dad actually Usher?" By nationality, Ja holds American citizenship and belongs to an Afro-American ethnic background. Morant's father became fixture on the sidelines during the Grizzlies run through the NBA Playoffs and beyond, recently coming to the defense of his son and Dillon Brooks. When asked where Ja should be drafted, he responded: Is there anything before one?. Now Im proud to say I work for the check. . Love the honesty when asked about his son's play ? LeBron James reacts to Shannon Sharpe spat with Ja Morant's father: 'Got his back' Ja Morant, who plays basketball as if he is on a trampoline, might bounce so high that his ceiling is . His interactions with Karl Towns Sr., the father of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, were a mainstay of the first-round playoff series broadcasts. There was times when I used to go back to Georgia and stuff, she used to take me and my cousins to church, Ja said. Murray State sophomore point guard Ja Morant's rise in the past month is unlike anything mid-major college basketball has seen in a long time. Childhood, Parents, Education, and Nationality. ESPN ranks him as the best point guard in the 2019 class, as well as the No. Basically, Tee isnt the only person with an incredibly high opinion of his sons ability. Like his NBA All-Star son, Tee Morant played point guard. Ja Morant has quickly become the face of the Memphis Grizzlies new era. During his sophomore year, Morant led Murray State to the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title. He earned the NBA Rookie of the Year honor in 2020 and was selected for the NBA All-Star Game in 2022. Theres one person who would disagree with that assessment. July 11, 2020. Would love your thoughts, please comment. ! Lakers star LeBron James hypes Liverpools semi-final triumph over Villarreal in Champions League, Do follow us onGoogle News|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter. All About Titus Wellivers Ex-wife. They should try out a twin situation where Usher goes to a Grizz game as Tee to see if anyone notices. "[1] His other Division I offers included Duquesne, Maryland Eastern Shore, South Carolina State, and Wofford. Besides that, Tee's son, Ja, has amassed a massive amount of money from his professional basketball career. Teniyas birth details are yet to be disclosed, making it hard to know her age and other personal stuff. It was all in good fun at first, but then they made things interesting. Morant has been having a breakout season as an NBA star. Tee Morant Skills & Agility Training Camp, in the same AAU league as Zion Williamson. So, who is he other than another fan trash-talking Ja and Shannon Sharpe? Tee grabbed the media's attention when he sat next to famous American singer Usher. According to the father of two, his little girl is easier to train than her big brother. It all paid off for the Morant family, with Ja becoming a college star for Murray State. He set the Grizzlies franchise mark for most points scored through the first two games of a season (83). She was the point guard for her schools basketball team, and her quest to try out another sport led the Afro-Americans to choose softball. No Ja Morant's father Jamie did not play basketball. He was a highly regarded recruit, but was not highly recruited by colleges. Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant[1] (born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has completed his schooling in his hometown and also completed his graduation from a private college. Although Jamie became pregnant with his fourth child, Ja, he left his basketball profession and took up barbering after becoming a father for the first time. Tee Morant wanted his son to work hard and be ready to show people he was built for every obstacle. The Morants had a mantra, These four walls, meaning anything that didnt affect the bond between the tight-knit family was none of their concern. [15] On September 3, 2016, Morant committed to playing for Murray State during dinner at McMahon's house. Again, Ja Morants dad has demonstrated that he is the kind of man that would always come to the defense of his spouse. The young man was distraught and had to lean on his parents strength and also drew inspiration from his grandma, Mama Lin. While looking for a snack, Kane noticed Morant playing a three-on-three game in an auxiliary gym; impressed, he contacted head coach Matt McMahon, who soon offered Morant a scholarship. Had to See What the Hype was about ?? What's more, Tee is a former basketball at Claflin University and narrowly missed making an NBA roster. Ja Morants father, Tee, is a man below 50 but full of strength and agility with which he mentored Ja during his early days in the field of play. In fact, Murray State discovered him by accident when assistant James Kane attended a camp to see a different player. Additionally, only George Mikan, in the BAA in 1949, scored more than Morants 73 points through his first two postseason games. Everything else is secondary.. For Tee, though, the most important thing is Ja's leadership on the court. Jamies anxiety level couldnt take it, he said. It was the first postseason triple-double in Grizzlies franchise history. [32] 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 used to play basketball when he was a teenager and was quite excellent at it. Get to know the Memphis Grizzlies' young star with these 10 interesting factoids about his life and career. [34] 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. Rotowire Feb 24, 2023. After participating in free agency camps and playing internationally, Blake Sandlin writes, Tees professional aspirations were cut short when he found out his wife was pregnant with Ja.. Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Forgettable night in narrow loss. Lastly, Sandlins feature shows how close the Morant family is, and how the connection is fueled by their Christian faith. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. Advertisement He also played college basketball for Claflin University. He participated in collegiate basketball for the Murray State Racers. Ja Morant Bio. Between his poster-worthy jump shots and his influential nature, Morant is lining himself up to be the next basketball legend. Ja's mother was a point guard in high school and a softball player in college, while his father was a high school basketball player. However, his height worked against him as all the camps wanted taller players. What Tee couldnt accomplish himself, he passed down to his son, Ja Morant. Ja Morant was the 2019-2020 Rookie of the Year who has taken the National Basketball Association by storm. The Tee Morant Skills & Agility Training Camp is a development program he owns and runs back in Sumter. (Ja Morant)Thank you for watching!! He was not highly recruited out of high school but he caught the attention of Murray State head coach Matt McMahon while playing in a summer league game. Speed was on display in a real way. We didn't see Towns Sr. wear the jersey, but he did hold onto it and congratulated the Morants on the first-round series win. 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