And Morant, the NBA’s Generation Z star, takes the Christmas stage

Morant has stopped acrobatic layups and got on the blocks throughout his four-season career, but this was one of his most unlikely accomplishments. Somehow he had managed to create a feel good throw.

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The scene contained several essential elements of Morants’ exploding popularity: his competitive edge on the field, his accessibility to fans, and his technological prowess and tenacity in defending himself, his teammates and the city of Memphis.

While Morant is a prodigious scorer and playmaker, his fearlessness, charisma and salesmanship have made him one of several young stars poised to take over the reins of the NBA for a long time, following the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Indeed, with Curry sidelined with shoulder injury In the Christmas Day showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Grizzlies, Morant will serve as the holiday headliner.

This type of attention has been a long time coming for Morant, who didn’t play for a basketball factory in high school or a blue blood program in college. Regardless of the game drawing comparisons to Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul and Steve Nash, the stocky 6-foot-2 point guard has rarely been on top of the basketball world. Morant twice led Murray State to the NCAA Tournament, but the small Kentucky school failed to crack the Sweet 16. He was selected second in the 2019 draft, but was clearly overshadowed by the number one pick, Zion Williamson.

Morant joined a rebuilding Grizzlies franchise playing in the league’s smallest television market and quickly turned it into a perennial winner. But his best playoff streak in the second-round series against the Warriors in May was ruined premature knee injury. Morant scored 47 points in Game 2 win in front of a raucous home crowd, but was forced to watch the final three games from the sidelines as the Warriors wrapped up the streak and won the championship.

Last summer, Morant demanded a Christmas rematch, and after that a brief Twitter sparring match with Warriors forward Draymond Green, the NBA granted his wish. Notably, Sunday will be the Grizzlies’ first Christmas appearance in their 28-year history.

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That showcase wasn’t charity: According to league data, Morants’ 351 million views on social media this season ranks second only to Currys’ 485 million among all NBA players. Morants’ top two highlights, a block against the Houston Rockets and a steal against the New Orleans Pelicans, have garnered 35 million and 25 million views, respectively, making them the league’s two most-viewed social media highlights. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have seen the largest percentage increase in Instagram followers of any team, and their regional telecasts rank fifth in household ratings thanks to an 82 percent year-over-year increase.

And Morant has put the Grizzlies on the map, said Keith Parish, Grind City Media podcast host and die-hard Grizzlies fan since 2001, when the franchise moved from Vancouver. This is a fan base that has long viewed being ignored as a personality trait, so it’s a little surreal to have a superstar who has become one of the faces of the NBA. Having a Christmas Day game would have been unthinkable not so long ago.

Memphis enters Sunday with a 20-11 record, tied for best in the Western Conference, despite injuries to two of Morants’ key contributors, defensive tackle Jaren Jackson Jr. and scorer Desmond Bane. Morant has been consistently excellent throughout the lineup changes. He has averaged 26.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists while rewriting the franchise record books along the way.

After scoring 49 points in the preseason win against the Rockets, Morant is the five highest scoring performances in franchise history, either in the regular season or the playoffs. With three triple-doubles in the past month, he has passed Marc Gasol for the career franchise record in that category.

The Grizzlies, who tied their franchise record 56 wins last season, are at 53 this season. Morant dominates an offense that has six players averaging double figures, while Jackson, who returned from a foot injury in mid-November, leads a top-10 defense that is physical and aggressive.

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We had shown that we have multiple guys that can go out and score, Morant said after posting a triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks on the 15th. december [scouting report], you must name everyone in the list. We have a lot of guys who play with a lot of confidence.

Morants’ brash approach and the Grizzlies’ take-no-prisoners style have earned them fans and haters. The entire team was recently named by Memphis Magazine Memphians of the Year 2022 because they lifted the spirits of our town, and the Morants Griddy dance has become a staple of wild post-game parties. Tee Morant is a regular on the site and a local celebrity, while the Morants’ 3-year-old daughter Kaari has more than 119,000 followers. an Instagram account maintained by his parents. During a recent home win, the Grizzlies joined the wave in a powerful performance.

That’s the spit that our team and our city have, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. I hope we can create more moments like this.

Their swag is not for everyone. In this month, two minute reel Video clips of Morant surviving traveling and carrying the ball garnered more than 9 million views on Twitter. The editor of the video declared that clean basketball has disappeared and Morant must be stopped.

In last season’s playoffs, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was furious when Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks committed a flagrant foul that injured Gary Payton II. Green danced around the FedEx Forum court as if to prove that the environment did not frighten him. When Morant suffered a tumultuous knee injury later in the series and blamed Warriors guard Jordan Poole, Bay Area fans and national analysts rushed to Pooles’ defense.

I’m tired of today’s players, TNT analyst Charles Barkley said. No one is trying to hurt anyone. I have to be kissed harder.

Morants’ unfiltered and approachable online persona, he’s a high-volume poster with a chip on his shoulder that remains central to his appeal among fans and teammates. Grizzlies television reporter Kelcey Wright Johnson noted that Morant has used social media to defend former teammate Grayson Allen from criticism and praise Jae Crowder for his adjustment to the NBA, in addition to nominating Jackson, Bane and Brooks for end-of-season awards. .

And is very loyal, Johnson said. In terms of his family, friends and teammates, he cares for a lot of people. I would do anything for them. This loyalty earns him the trust of his friends.

Curry’s absence this Christmas will ensure all eyes will be on Morant, and the rematch at the Chase Center should reignite the raw emotions of last season’s playoffs while offering a glimpse into the future of the NBA.

Morant still has a lot of boxes to check before the league can become his first-team All-NBA selection, MVP, trip to the Western Conference Finals and, of course, a championship, but on Sunday, he’ll be on the stage he’s long wanted.

“We played our best basketball right now,” Morant said. When teams face us, they have to be ready to come out and play. This message was sent to the league.

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