Ja Morant
Always the underdog, Ja Morant entered the NBA with a chip on his shoulder.
He was the high school kid who was unranked by every major recruiting service. Ja wasn’t noticed by college recruiters either. He only was discovered by a Murray State coach looking for a snack at Morant’s gym. Ja only built up his stock from there, averaging 24.5 points and 10 assists in his sophomore season.
That production led the Murray State Racer to become the 2nd overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The now Memphis Grizzlies guard has taken the league by storm with his poster dunks, no-look passes, and deceptive crossovers.
Despite the adoration, Ja has always embraced the negativity from critics. After all, his dad was his first hater.
Cover image via SB Nation