The Memphis Grizzlies might not have come away with a win in Brooklyn, but their star point guard did earn the approval of one of the NBA’s greatest wizards. Ja Morant stunned the basketball world with his acrobatic finishes at Barclays Center. His performance had Magic Johnson showering praise on the 25-year-old after the game.
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Morant tallied 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds in the 104-106 loss, but his two 360 layups were worth a few points in themselves. The first one came late in the second quarter when Ja received a pass from Santi Aldama and charged into the paint from the right wing. However, 6’11 defensive specialist Nicholas Claxton awaited him at the rim, eager to send his shot into the stands.
Morant wasn’t going to let that happen though. The alert guard improvised and spun in mid-air to get his shot off from the left side of the basket. If that wasn’t impressive enough on its own, Ja also switched hands while in the air, finishing with his left and landing comfortably on both feet.
He wasn’t done there. Morant repeated the action in the third quarter as he came charging down the left side of the court. He seemed to bait Cameron Johnson by cranking the ball back in his right hand to get the Nets forward off his feet. However, the moment Cam committed to the play, Morant swung his body 360 degrees, easily getting past Johnson and finishing with his left.
Ja’s incredible displays of athleticism earned the respect of Magic, who shared the highlights of the two plays on his X account still in disbelief.
“Wow – I’ve never seen anyone make two 360 layups like that in the same game!” Magic wrote in the caption.
Wow – I've never seen anyone make two 360 layups like that in the same game! 🔥 https://t.co/LPzmiI3wUi
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 5, 2024
That’s one impressive compliment from the man who has watched the NBA grow for over 40 years now. And of course, Magic wasn’t the only former MVP to be left stunned by the Grizzlies star on Monday night.
Ja Morant is a “top-level athlete”, according to Kevin Durant
The Slim Reaper has his own history with the Brooklyn Nets. But KD still couldn’t help but root for Morant after seeing his incredible finishes against his former team.
Kay Adams hosted KD on her talk show ‘Up & Adams’ when she discussed Ja’s aerial wizardry with the two-time Finals MVP. Durant dubbed Morant “the most athletic person I’ve seen.” He hesitated to crown the 25-year-old, given how early he is into his career, though he admitted that the plays against Brooklyn spoke for themselves.
As KD put it, “But come on now, to pull that off, that smooth, that easy, it’s ridiculous. He’s a top-level athlete.”
Not only did Ja earn the four-time scoring champion’s praise, he also inspired a little envy in KD. “When I try stuff like that they’re going to say I’m looking washed. So, I’m going to stay away from that. I’m just gonna pull up from the mid-range,” he joked.
Morant’s highlights have earned the praise of the NBA’s greatest and generated over 160 million views on the NBA’s social media. This is the exact version of Ja that Grizzlies fans were hoping to see this season. If he can remain healthy and available, Memphis will be home to some must-watch basketball for a good few years.
