Super Ja: Morant soars above the best league in the world Israel today

In the 2017/2018 season, the Memphis Grizzlies missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

At that time, not far away, Marie State returned to its "playoffs" - the national college championship tournament - for the first time in six years.

She did this thanks to Ja Morant, who already in his first season in college showed enough potential to make professionals across the U.S. wonder how such talent would not be rated in any scouting agency.

Today, that Morant is the hottest name in the NBA, after last season - his second in the league - he marched Memphis back to the playoffs, after a three-year absence.

A very short period of time, given the difficulty of small market groups to carry out a reconstruction process.

But such is Morant, perhaps the most explosive and exciting player in the league, who right now has led Memphis to ten straight wins.

He just does not wait for anyone, and in general very in a hurry.

Whether it's in pursuit of a kidnapping, a jump to a crazy block, a run for a breakaway, a penetration of a basket and a scary rise to the dunk, or already in his third season (at 22) he is about to be selected as his first All-Star and get a serious number of MVP votes.

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It is utterly insane to think of the situation in which in January 2022 a guy was found who was almost always short, thin and weak from most of his rivals, even on the plot his father had built in the backyard.

One who barely managed to find a scholarship in a worthy college league.

An amateur who was accidentally discovered in a side hall by assistant coach Marie State, when he went to buy a snack at a buffet during a scouting mission in which he followed a completely different prospect.

A player who hit the national radar only in November 2018, in his second college season, when he gave a huge game in a loss at Alabama.

Marie State did lose - with Morant scoring more than half of the points alone - but it was tonight that ESPN's Sports Center viewers began to get used to seeing him on screen.

Iverson.

Morant mentions him, Photo: EP

"From that game, it became a matter of routine to ask 'What did Morant do tonight?'" Says Jay Billas, the channel's college basketball commentator.

What adds to the game's symbolism is the fact that like any major event in Morant's life, it also took place in the southern United States (Tasklosa). Because it's an integral part of J's personality. In Kentucky, and currently starring in Memphis, Tennessee - a three-hour drive from Mary State. South, of course.

Respecting

the best of the stereotypical tradition, Morant is a "good boy in the South of the United States." She defeated LeBron and Kerry in two consecutive games.

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His character, athleticism and style - these are just some of the qualities that make him one of the most beloved and magnetizing players.

Because above all this, it is enough to see one of his games to absorb something particularly rare: his uncompromising love for the game, the fuel he gets from the team competition, the desire for victory.

Add to his natural voice, and you get a charisma bomb that really has to go back many years to find one similar to it.

How far back?

Well, many say he's reminiscent of Alan Iverson - including the feeling that they're constantly playing against the whole world and his wife.

Duncan and Popovich.

Like Morant and Jenkins, Photo: Getty Images

But, when he is very successful under coach Taylor Jenkins - studied and educated by Greg Popovich in San Antonio - and seeing how excellent their relationship is, and especially how Morant remains humble, loved by his teammates, attentive to his coaches and comfortable accepting any criticism and also getting better - another fitting comparison It should be Tim Duncan.

One thing we can be sure of: in terms of Morant, there is no such thing as aiming too high.

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