Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies became a superstar partly because of the jaw-dropping, highlight-worthy dunks he made again and again.
And while Morant will still play with his explosive style and personality, he will be limiting his amount of dunks.
Speaking with ESPN, via NBACentral, Morant talked about why he will refrain from dunking as often.
Morant said:
“I’m not trying to dunk at all. Y’all think I’m lying. I’m dead serious…Sometimes, I get knocked out the air and (a foul) don’t get called, and now I’m out longer than what I’m supposed to be. Sometimes, the foul might get called; I still hit the floor, but after the game you might feel that little fall. So, I just pick and choose, man. Hey, two points is two points. I get it done. That’s all that matters.”
Ja Morant says he’s not trying to dunk anymore
“I’m not trying to dunk at all. Y’all think I’m lying. I’m dead serious…Sometimes, I get knocked out the air and (a foul) don’t get called, and now I’m out longer than what I’m supposed to be. Sometimes, the foul might get called;… pic.twitter.com/D5HR4o6RrR
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 4, 2024
According to ESPN, Morant has only dunked three times during the 12 games he has played this season.
He is clearly trying to change how he is approaching the basket because he wants to stay healthy.
Morant has faced a few disappointing physical problems over the last couple of seasons and has been hurt more often than he would like.
He believes that’s because of just how physical he gets when he is dunking.
Therefore, instead of posterizing his opponents, he will find other ways to score his two points.
Like he said, all that really matters is that he scores—it doesn’t matter how it’s done.
Some fans might be bummed to witness fewer of Morant’s dunks, but they will be happy to see him in more games because of this choice.
He is prioritizing his health, and that is ultimately good news for all NBA fans.
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