“I’ve Never Ever Thrown the Ball in the Rim”: Gilbert Arenas Scoffs at People Discounting Ja Morant’s Dunk on Victor Wembanyama

Advait Jajodia | 18/01/2025
Ja Morant's dunk on Victor Wembanyama (L) and Gilbert Arenas (R)

Ja Morant has been the center of attention after his latest dunk over Victor Wembanyama during the Memphis Grizzlies’s game against the San Antonino Spurs. While many hailed the feat as a spectacular slam, some dismissed it, claiming that it came after a whistle. On his show Gil’s Arena, Gilbert Arenas had a strong response to the critics of the slam.

The show’s panel discussed Morant‘s recent on-court acrobatics, with Arenas expressing his admiration for the dunk. The three-time All-Star admitted that he had never executed a similar dunk – throwing the ball in the rim instead of slamming it – especially against someone as tall as Wembanyama, “I’ve never ever thrown the ball in the rim, never on my best days.” 

The Washington Wizards legend then addressed the critics who disregarded Morant’s dunk. While acknowledging it occurred after the whistle, Arenas emphasized that the Frenchman was clearly trying his best to block the attempt.

“That right there is a “dunk on”… You know how you size each other up in the end and at the 24-hour fitness or at the park and you go up and he jumps and you do it. That’s considered dunked on… He got dunked on,” Arenas concluded.

Ja Morant may not have earned two points for the play, but he added Victor Wembanyama to his growing list of poster victims. As Arenas noted, the Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner actively tried to block the dunk with stretched arms. Furthermore, he even fouled Morant in the restricted area, making this moment even more impressive.

Morant’s nonchalant response to his dunk

It’s rare to see a player as big as Victor Wembanyama become the victim of a poster dunk. Morant being more than a foot shorter has made the moment so remarkable.

However, Morant was unfazed after the feat.

“It was another person at the rim. I’ve dunked on plenty of people, bro. He don’t get no pass. If you at the rim, I’mma try you at that situation,” Morant said in a postgame locker room interview.

Many are already calling it the greatest in-game dunk that didn’t count. Moments like these make fans long for Morant to participate in the dunk contest.

Post Edited By: Satagni Sikder
Gilbert Arenas Ja Morant Victor Wembanyama

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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