Apart from being an athletically gifted player, Ja Morant is a mentality monster. His competitive spirit and desire to win is what sets him apart from the other players in his draft class. His other ‘intangibles’ like leadership and ability to boost his teammates’ morale are all reasons Kevin Garnett is high on the Grizzlies for the upcoming season.
Advertisement
A fan account on Instagram put together a few of Morant’s interview clips as a preparation for his return from injury. The clips, taken majorly from his 2022-23 season, showcased Morant’s mentality and competitiveness.
“Some people don’t like me, so that’s why I bust their a**… ‘Go get a bucket, Ja’…They switched up, so tell them to stay on the side they was on. We don’t want them over here no more. All the smoke… I’m a dawg… I don’t fear nobody,” Morant said in the compilation.
View this post on Instagram
The reel garnered thousands of views in a matter of a few days. Garnett was among many to be moved after seeing the clip. Impressed by the 25-year-old’s mindset, the Celtics legend shared the clip on his Instagram Story with a few emojis added as a caption.
KG praises Ja on IG pic.twitter.com/UBk1PbWua9
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) October 5, 2024
The guard’s self-confidence has also had a direct influence on the Grizzlies. Despite being massively trolled in 2023 for claiming that the Memphis side was “fine in the West”, Morant and co. proceeded to finish their regular season with the 2nd best record in the conference.
Garnett had a similar mindset during his playing days. Hence, his affinity towards Morant doesn’t come as a surprise.
Garnett backs Morant and co. to finish top five in the West
Morant’s social media antics in the 2023 off-season led to him serving a 25-game suspension at the start of the season. His highly anticipated return did not disappoint. In his comeback game against the Pelicans, Morant scored 34 points and capped the performance with a game-winner over two defenders.
Luck was not on his side, however, as after playing merely nine games, the All-NBA player suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
Ja has since been cleared to set foot on the floor. His return after injury has motivated Garnett to pick the Grizzlies as a top-five contender in the Western Conference.
“All y’all who ain’t got Ja in your narrative, you tripping. The big bad wolf is back, boy. Beating on the door, you hear me? I got them top five in the West, man,” KG said on his podcast.
View this post on Instagram
Morant could bounce back in the 2024-2025 season. But KG’s take regarding the Grizzlies making it to the top five in the Western Conference is far-fetched. The likes of Jaren Jackson Jr and GG Jackson II, crucial pieces of Memphis’ rotation, have still not fully recovered from their injuries.
Ja’s return could mean a significant increase in the Grizzlies’ wins, but with the rest of the West also getting stronger, Garnett’s take seems improbable right now. However, they have surprised the NBA before, and a healthy Ja can never be counted out.
It remains to be seen if they’ll make the top 5, but one thing’s for sure, the Grizzlies will be a very interesting side to watch next season.
