Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant has a freakishly athletic two-handed block on LA Lakers guard Avery Bradley.
Advertisement
It is no real secret that the Memphis Grizzlies have one of the most athletic players in the league in Ja Morant. In fact, the 22-year-old point guard is seen as the second coming of Russell Westbrook or Derrick Rose.
That freakish athleticism of his was on full display in a recent game against the Lakers. However, unlike most of his athletic plays which happen on offense, this particular one took place of the defensive side of the ball.
On the play, it looked like Lakers guard Avery Bradley had a relatively free lane to the basket after stealing the ball from none other than Ja Morant. The veteran guard only had one defender to beat in youngster Desmond Base.
However, out of nowhere, arrives Ja Morant, who had other ideas. Check out the clip here:
As you can see, Ja goes up with two hands and blocks the shot, with this head nearly hitting the backboard.
This athletic rejection went quite viral on social media. In fact, LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum got in on the fun and even posted an interesting question: Is it the most athletic block ever? So, is it? Read on and find out…
Did Ja Morant just have the most athletic block of all time?
Blocks might not be the most significant NBA stat, but they can certainly be a game-changer. Case in point: Need I look further than the iconic LeBron James block on Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals?
While it was arguably the most important, it wasn’t the most athletic block in the history of the league. While Ja’s block on Avery Bradley is certainly up there, does it take the top spot? Let’s explore a few other athletic rejections before we come to a decision. Check a few of them out here:
This Michael Jordan game-winning block looks eerily similar to Ja’s one on Bradley. The only difference being MJ held on to the ball after the rejection.
One block that certainly comes to mind is the iconic Shannon Brown one. Especially the reaction of the Lakers bench after the block makes it that tad bit better.
Blake Griffin’s rejection on Deron Williams is just simply gravity-defying. What’s makes it even more impressive is that Griffin was able to palm the ball and control it on the way down. However, this isn’t talked about nearly as much and remains as one of the most underrated-yet-athletic blocks in NBA history.
However, the block that takes the victory for me personally is the one on DeAndre Ayton by Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals. The way the Greek Freak recovered back after getting beat is a testament to his explosiveness and athleticism. Moreover, this block had more on the line when compared to the rest, with maybe LeBron’s block the only one comparable in terms of stakes.
While Ja Morant’s block may not be the most athletic block of all time, it is certainly right up there. One can surely bank on Ja to come up with more highlight plays in the future, on both ends of the floor.
The Memphis Grizzlies have certainly been punching above their weight this season. They currently sit as the 4th seed in the West, holding a healthy 27-14 record. A major reason why is due to their superstar Ja Morant, who has been playing at a near MVP level.
