Beyond having a famous son, theres a lot to discuss about Tee. Tee Morant is one African-American dad who has shown tremendous support to the careers of his children, especially his son, Ja Morant: this has earned him accolades. 65 PTS + a championship later, Morant proved exactly that, dropping the game-winning +1 floater Friday + shredding #Belmont's D Saturday >> https://t.co/D0naqJcUbj pic.twitter.com/ufA9KD2k8H, DraftExpressContent (@DXContent) March 11, 2019. NBA point guard Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant was born on August 10, 1999. [87], On January 29, 2023, Morant put up his seventh career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 112100 win over the Indiana Pacers. They went back out there and did it.. Now, he is the head man at Crestview High on the Carolina coastal town of Sumter. A Zion connection: The summer before Morant was a. During his younger days, the blossoming basketball star, who was still training in their backyard, would tell his mother about competing against more mature opponents. Jamie Morant, Ja Morants mother, was born just before the yuletide on the 20th of December 1975. The Murray State star is quietly making a name for himself and will soon be in an NBA city near you", "Mid-major to millions: Ja Morant's life is changing quickly", "How Ja Morant went from an unranked player in high school to the likely No. Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant (born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Tee Morant became a figure in his own right during the 2022 NBA postseason. He used his tough love to prepare the youngster for the future and, at the same time, put him under pressure to be better. He then pivoted to a career as a barber. Is He White or Black? [14] Morant and Murray State advanced to the NCAA Tournament his freshman season after capturing an OVC Championship in a 6851 win over Belmont. Powered by. Then, he quit his basketball career and stayed at home. From what is obvious, Teniya appears interested in going professional as the youngster has already played for Hillcrest Middle School in Dalzell. People assumed they were look-alikes. Tee will be back in Hartfords XL Center Saturday to watch his son try to lead Murray State to the Sweet 16 with a win over Florida State. [36], At the end of the regular season, he was named OVC Player of the Year and first-team All-OVC, while leading the NCAA Division I in assists. He was born on the 10th of August 1999 to his father, Tee Morant, and mother, Jamie Morant, in Dalzell, South Carolina. Here are . At the end of the first half, Sharpe got into a shouting match with multiple Grizzlies players, including Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams. Thus, he went to join one of the free agency camps for the National Basketball Association. It was all in good fun at first, but then they made things interesting. The game happened on April 26, 2022. In Friday's game between the LA Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, Tee leveled up and got into it with NFL legend Shannon Sharpe. NBA set to celebrate Noches neBA program, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for Feb. 28, Durant expected to make Suns debut tonight, NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Feb. 28, Scoot Henderson says hes ready for NBA Draft. Although fans might acknowledge Memphis Grizzlies winning the 2nd game of the 2022 playoff series against Golden State Warriors and leveling the series 1-1, as simple as that. Ja Morant finished his high school career playing at Crestwood High School, earning All-Region Most Valuable Player three times and earning All-State honors. A native of South Carolina, Tee played high school basketball at Hillcrest and was a teammate of Hall of Fame guard Ray Allen. Tee smiled from ear to ear when Memphis closed out the series 4-2 in Minneapolis, and Towns Sr. had to make good on his bet. Ja Morant's sister, Teniya, has the same trainer as her superstar brother: their dad After launching his first-born to basketball stardom, Tee Morant is working on his next project More Videos While the 10-time All-Star took a full ride to compete at Connecticut, the elder Morant laced up for the Claflin University Panthers in Orangeburg (S.C.). [8] In his childhood, he often faced older opponents, telling his mother, "I'm not worried about the big kids. Tee got more into the spotlight when he came to cheer his son up in a match between Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves. Morant played high school basketball at Crestwood High School in Sumter South Carolina. Everything else is secondary.. Morant's father became fixture on the sidelines during the Grizzlies run through the NBA Playoffs and beyond, recently coming to the defense of his son and Dillon Brooks. Naturally, that meant Tee nitpicking his mistakes, but he also shows his son love. Also, some of the fans took a dig at him as they considered him just a supporter father who is getting all the hype due to his newfound fame. [73][74] Despite missing 25 games during the regular season, he was named the winner of the NBA Most Improved Player Award. Like his NBA All-Star son, Tee Morant played point guard. As mentioned before, Ja Morant will likely go in the top-3 of this summers NBA Draft. Ja and KAT's fathers show some sportsmanship during Game 1 ? A Zion connection: The summer before Morant was a sophomore in high school (and when Zion Williamson was a freshman), they played on a regional team called the South Carolina Hornets. He had a breakout sophomore season where he won OVC Player of the Year and led the NCAA in assists. Tees parenting skills so impressed American pro basketball player Donovan Mitchell Jr. who gave him accolades for bringing up Ja to be an impressive young man. After quitting basketball, he supported the family by becoming a barber. He did, however, go to Crestwood High School. Ja Morant's father's name is Tee Morant who was a basketball player by profession. He was 1st trainer, influencer, and even hater of Ja Morant, as per the player himself. [50] On October 23, 2019, Morant made his NBA debut, starting in a 101120 loss to the Miami Heat with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block. Ja's father, Tee Morant, has shown his support courtside for the entire season and will continue to do so for as long as Ja plays. Murray State would lose in its opening round game to West Virginia, however, falling 85-68 despite Morant's 14 points. He scored 18 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. He then laced up for the Claflin University Panthers in Orangeburg (S.C.). He was named to his first NBA All Star Game in 2022 as a starter, and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award at the conclusion of the season, Morant was also selected to his first All-NBA Team in 2022. He had a breakout sophomore season; it saw him win OVC Player of the Year as well as lead the NCAA in assists. Advertisement Just do it: Morant was the first member of the 2019 Draft class to secure a shoe deal (with Nike). Where Is Beth Thomas of The Child of Rage Now? After he grew taller and more athletic, Ja Morant turned the tables on his dad, who used to dominate him. Education The young basketball player has a good education. I still hate on him. Magic will tell you, Rodman was completely annoying Colin Cowherd believes Dennis Rodmans contributions were always untold in Bulls championship runs, Sent the clown back to the Circus Draymond Green reacts as JJ Redick blasts Chris Russo on First Take, Paris here we come!!!!!!! . While Tee was playing semi-professionally overseas, Jamie became pregnant with Ja. The talented point guard continued with her sports activities in college, playing both basketball and softball. Now Im proud to say I work for the check. Everything is really just a credit to him. He mentions this when talking about the tight-knit Morant family, and how Jas grandmother, Linda Mama Lin Smalley, particularly supports him. (Photo: SAM OWENS/ COURIER & PRESS)Tee Morant (middle) celebrating with his son Ja (left) after Murray State won the OVC Tournament title. [69][70] On February 28, Morant bested this total, scoring a career-high 52 points, on an efficient 22-of-30 shooting, including 4-4 from beyond the arc, in a 118105 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Ja Morant's record-breaking third quarter, triple-double highlight Grizzlies' win vs. Lakers The Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers went toe-to-toe until Ja Morant's explosive third quarter . Like when he publicly supported his son's case to go first overall ahead of Zion Williamson in the 2019 NBA Draft. The G League Ignite guard has been toward the top of several draft boards ahead of the 2023 Draft. Buzzsouthafrica.com copyright 2023. But with the 22-year-old Morant dropping game-high points with efficiency from the field and range, there is someone in his family who has been behind his basketball inspiration and is still the biggest critic of him. [49] On July 2, 2019, he signed a four-year contract worth $39.6 million with the Grizzlies. From his upbringing to being Gigi Bryant's favorite player, here's some things to know about the Hawks star. Nevertheless, Morant made an instant impression at Murray State University. However, he was only lightly recruited by NCAA Division I programs and was unranked by recruiting services. Advertise with us Tee, on the other hand, actively molded Ja into the player he is today. [43] On March 21, in an 8364 win over fifth-seeded Marquette in the first round of the 2019 NCAA tournament, Morant posted 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists. Morant had 15 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in that game. He attended Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he was teammates with Hall of Famer Ray Allen, and went on to play college basketball at Claflin University -- a HBCU located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Terms of Use. A point guard usually is the best ball handler and passer within a . [9], Morant attended Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina. An enthusiastic Jamie was proud to hear her son say, Im not worried about the big kids.. Between his poster-worthy jump shots and his influential nature, Morant is lining himself up to be the next basketball legend. Assists were recorded in the 195051 and 195152 seasons, but were not recorded again until 198384. Now his profession and passion are perhaps of a Social Media Influencer. Despite a strong charge from Williamson down the stretch, it was Morant who emerged as the Kia Rookie of the Year. His only purpose was to inject his ambitious pedigree into Ja without the negative traits that cut his career short. Memphis also tied their franchise record with 56 wins. Tee is also a self-acclaimed basketball train. He set the Grizzlies franchise mark for most points scored through the first two games of a season (83). NBA stars play 'Spin the . The elder Morant can be seen regularly in the stands during his son's games, whether at home. The rest is history. 1-seeded Utah Jazz and saw Morant score a franchise playoff-record 47 points in a Game 2 loss. After participating in free agency camps and playing internationally, Blake Sandlin writes, Tees professional aspirations were cut short when he found out his wife was pregnant with Ja.. Theres one person who would disagree with that assessment. His younger sister's name is Teniya Morant. On Sunday, Tee was seen hugging Steph Curry after his son Ja missed a potential game-winning layup in the Grizzlies loss. My dad was my first hater. pic.twitter.com/OtleId7DEZ. Some of the comments were hilarious and those who could not get the fun side of it might even hate Tee for his words. The two wore nearly identical outfits, too, and the good folks at FedEx Forum gave them a shoutout on the "Look Alike Cam" during a timeout. He was a football player in high school and then went on to play football at a small college. [80][81], On July 6, 2022, Morant signed a five-year extension with the Grizzlies. With his high school education done and dusted, Tee proceeded to Claflin University in Orangeburg, North Carolina, where he lined up for the institutions Panthers basketball team. For one season, he was teammates with Zion Williamson, who became one of the top players in his class. [32] He established a new scoring career-high nine days later on January 19, when he recorded 40 points, 11 assists, and 5 steals, shooting 21-of-21 from the free throw line, in a victory over SIU Edwardsville. Basically, Tee isnt the only person with an incredibly high opinion of his sons ability. Does Ja Morant Have A Brother? [35] After posting 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 10270 victory over Eastern Kentucky, Morant became the 46th Murray State player with 1,000 career points and eclipsed the OVC record for single-season assists previously held for 32 years by Duane Washington of Middle Tennessee. Morant has been a natural athlete since he was a child. The Grit and Grind era may be over, but that motto is representative of Morants journey to the NBA. Teniya spent her formative years practicing the game in the backyard alongside her big brother. Towns. Daughter Dance Like Father Basketball !! Ja's mother was a point guard in high . How much does Ja Morant make? I just got so comfortable with it that times when I felt like the Devil is trying to attack me or anything, Ill just go to her.. Ja is a lefty like his mama, who makes time to follow him to the gym to assist the point guard in working on his shooting stroke. [58] Two days later, he made his NBA playoff debut, scoring 26 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists to help lead the Grizzlies to a 112109 upset victory in Game 1 over the top-seeded Utah Jazz. Those following March Madness know who Ja Morant is. Back in the late 90s, Edwards led the Hillcrest program. [1] Morant's favorite artist is rapper Lil Baby. Ja Morant somehow gets this acrobatic shot to fall. [62] On October 24, he scored 40 points while dishing out 10 assists in a 121118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ja's father, Tee Morant, was a high school teammate of Ray Allen. During his sophomore year, Morant led Murray State to the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title. He attended Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he was teammates with Hall of Famer Ray Allen, and went on to play college basketball at Claflin University -- a HBCU located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Ja Morant's full name is Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant. Besides that, Tee's son, Ja, has amassed a massive amount of money from his professional basketball career. Morant's been causing quite a stir in the NBA circuits, and naturally, fans have . Morant has been having a breakout season as an NBA star.