Ja Morant got himself in some trouble after flashing a gun at the strip club, but he’s now locked back in after his suspension and is trying to keep his head down. Playmaker’s Storytime did a deep dive into Ja’s upbringing and a lesser-known tragic incident that the NBA star had to endure.

Ja went from being an AAU star on Zion Williamson’s team to earning a spot to play ball at Crestwood private school, to earning a full ride to Murray State.

No one will truly know what it’s like to be in Ja’s shoes, let alone any young superstar athlete as popular as Ja Morant. What we do know is, to even get into this elite position, you gotta put in the work. When you are a Rookie of the Year, All-Star player like Ja, you already know that he’s put in overtime. A lot of credit actually goes to his #1 fan— and biggest hater— his dad, Tee Morant.

We’ve all seen Tee throughout the season supporting his son whether that’s sitting courtside at games with his doppelganger, Usher, or getting into some trash talk with Shannon Sharpe. Either way, there’s no doubt that Tee has been riding for his son and is consistently involved in Ja’s life.

Tee really helped shape his son into an NBA star, regardless of if Ja didn't take on a conventional route. Ja wasn’t raised in a flashy city at all. He was raised in the tiny countryside town Dalzell, South Carolina. Having NBA dreams in a town like this wasn't common, but Ja had the talent, and hard work on his side. It also is in his blood too. After all, Ja’s dad was a top point guard in the state coming out of high school. He was even friends and teammates with Ray Allen. Tee eventually played for an HBCU in South Carolina, Claflin University. And while he had a pro basketball career ahead of him, Tee sacrificed his dreams to be an active father to his firstborn…the one and only Ja Morant.

Tee did just that and supported Ja in the best ways he could. Dalzell didn’t have much, so Tee to matters into his own hands and built a basketball court from scratch. When I say from scratch, I mean that man really poured the cement in the backyard and built it all himself. Tee even created the Train To Go (TTG) camp for Ja and the two would be seen doing drills and practicing endlessly.

It clearly all paid off though. Ja went from being an AAU star on Zion Williamson’s team to earning a spot to play ball at Crestwood private school, to earning a full ride to Murray State.

Ja has had a strong support system from his dad, but also was shown similar love by his cousin Trey, who unfortunately lost his life at a young age. Trey was like an idol and brother to Ja and one can only imagine what it would be like to lose someone that close to you to a motorcycle accident. Ja always referred to his cousin as the glue that held the family together and even shouted out a “Long Live Trey” at the end of his post-draft interview.

A tragedy like that is bound to affect anybody. Even with his recent series of unfortunate events, the 23-year-old is finding his way. In Ja’s transition back to the court, one thing he is keeping in mind through it all is his family ties and deep love for the game. Nothing and no one is stopping this young star from chasing greatness!

• There was no mercy was shown by this player 😬

• These young players really know how to put on a show!🏈

• This isn't gonna slide in any league 🏀

• The competitions would be crazy 😱

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