Still in his rookie season, Ja Morant has already made a name for himself. The 20-year-old phenom out of Murray State is known for his ability to do just about anything on the court, whether it be a flashy pass, deep three, or a high-flying dunk. The second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has solidified himself as the frontrunner to win the 2019-2020 Rookie of the Year award, averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. Morant is shooting the ball at an impressive 49.2 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from deep. His performance made him the Rookie of the Month for November, December, and January. One aspect of Ja Morant’s game that stands out and makes him a fan-favorite across the league is his flashy dunks. Here are some of Ja Morant’s best dunks in his NBA career so far!
Ja Morant’s Best Dunks in his NBA Career
Ja Morant Puts Aron Baynes on a Poster
Late in the fourth quarter of a close game against the Phoenix Suns, Ja Morant gave the Grizzlies the momentum needed to close out the game with a win. After Jaren Jackson Jr. sets a screen on Ricky Rubio, Aron Baynes is left to guard Morant on the perimeter. Morant saw an opening and cut towards the basket, where he slammed it down with power over Baynes. There was enough contact to send Morant to the floor after the dunk, but it didn’t matter. Morant got the highlight play and the win.
Ja Morant Makes Davis Bertans Look Silly
Being up nearly 20 points didn’t have any effect on Morant’s mentality. Davis Bertans picked up Morant on the perimeter, giving him a good amount of space. The rest of the Grizzlies lineup was spread along the perimeter, leaving a massive hole in the paint. Morant saw the space and attacked, blowing right past Bertans and finishing with power.
Morant Dunks on Rudy Gobert and Utah Jazz
Rocking the retro jersey, Morant dropped some jaws on this one. In a close game against the Utah Jazz, Morant brought the ball up the court. With the rest of his team spread along the perimeter, Morant saw a gap in the defense. He drove right past his defender, Royce O’Neal, and took on two-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the paint, where he finished strong.
Morant Over PJ Tucker for the Putback Dunk
Early in the first quarter against the Houston Rockets, Jonas Valanciunas takes a corner three that hits the rim and bounces out. Brandon Clarke is there to grab the rebound but misses the putback attempt. Morant comes out of nowhere and uses his athleticism to grab the board and finish a putback slam over Houston’s PJ Tucker.
Morant Puts on a Show with the Alley-Oop Tomahawk Slam
In the third quarter of the Grizzlies matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jae Crowder started a two on one counter-attack. Colin Sexton overcommits to guard Crowder, leaving Morant open. Morant cuts to the basket and Crowder lobs it up. Morant grabs the ball with one hand and finishes with a fancy tomahawk dunk, getting the crowd hyped up and on their feet.
Honorable Mentions:
Morant Nearly Ends Kevin Love‘s Career
Probably one of Morant’s most notorious plays is the almost dunk against five-time All-Star Kevin Love. Morant has the ball at the top of the perimeter. The only thing between him and the basket is Love, which wasn’t enough to stop Morant from attacking. Morant runs full speed towards the basket and nearly clears Love as he attempts to finish. Luckily, for Kevin Love, Morant used too much power, causing it to bounce out. If he had finished, it would have been in discussion for one of the best dunks of all time.
Morant Goes Over Anthony Davis
In a very similar sequence of events to the previously listed dunk, Morant had a chance to go at one of the best big-men currently in the league – Anthony Davis. Morant saw an opening after coming off of an off-ball screen and attempted to leap over AD. Morant once again used too much power, so the ball bounced out and he was called for an offensive foul.
Dunk Contest Dunks as a Warmup
If Morant was able to pull off any of these dunks in a game, the world would stop spinning. In pregame warmups, Morant likes to show the crowd what it would look like if he was to compete in the NBA Dunk Contest. Don’t hold your breath, though, as he stated in a tweet that he has no interest in competing due to some controversy in the judging.