If you want to say who among the new generation of NBA stars has been questioned the most, Morant may be talking to you for three days and three nights. It's no wonder, after all, he's always been with questions along the way, and most of his time has been spent fighting back against them. He may not understand why he is always in the center of the whirlpool, but he always has a way to escape. Just like today's slash 41+10 reversal of the Lakers, it is like the declaration he issued to fight back against the fallacy of the so-called "Grizzlies have Morant can't win".
Of course, counting this game, the Grizzlies have won 3 consecutive games after Morant's return, and the haze has been swept away earlier, but the 41+10 in this game is too shocking. As Morant said after the game: "The victory has become even better at the thought that the players in purple and gold shirts will go home with sadness." ”
During Morant's absence, the Grizzlies made a stunning 10-2. As a result, Morant averaged 25.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.7 steals in 18 games before the injury, shooting 47.8% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range, and was forgotten overnight, and even some people began to believe that "the Grizzlies will be better without Morant." The joke that "winning is not terrible, who is lacking and who is embarrassed" is even more everywhere.
In this regard, Morant understands that he must speak with practical actions, but he is not angry with the Grizzlies teammates who have worked together before, and they understand that Memphis cannot do without Morant. This is certainly a truth that has been verified by countless instances, and the Grizzlies know it all over the place.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the doubts that Morant has been questioned. Morant was born on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina, a place where Ray Allen was born, and his family was inextricably linked to Aaron. Morant's father, Tee Morant, was a teammate at Aaron's High School at Hillcrest High School. It's just that compared to Aaron, who became famous at that time, the old Morant was too quiet.
At this time, fate sent his son to the side of the elder Morant, which changed his life choices and the fate of the Morant family. After leaving Claflin University, the elder Morant joined the semi-professional league, originally wanted to pan for gold overseas, but learned that his wife Jamie was pregnant. At this moment, the elder Morant gave up pursuing the dream of professional football, decided to stay with his wife and children, and poured all his efforts into his son.
Influenced by his parents (Morant's mother also played as a point guard in high school), Little Morant soon fell in love with basketball, much to the delight of the old Morant, who had now turned to hairdresser. He erected baskets in his backyard, built a court, retrieved abandoned truck tires from the street, let his son practice bouncing, and taught his son to retreat and shoot by hand. Although not a rich and noble family, the elder Morant always devoted himself to the education of his son. And the sensible little Morant also sees all this in his eyes.
In early July 2020, Morant, who had earned $9 million a year at the Grizzlies, gave his father a gift: the Dodge Hellcat, the representative model of American muscle cars. When the old Morant saw the new car decorated with red flowers, he bent down happily and peeked at his son from time to time. The affection of father and son is worth more than a thousand words at this moment.
Growing older, Morant joined Claystwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina, and joined an AAU team called the South Carolina Hornets. It was here that he met Zion, who was destined to haunt him for the rest of his life. The encounter between the two was diametrically opposed at the time. Zion was known all over the Country in high school, and he was elected Mr. Basketball of South Carolina, and was selected to the All-American Team, a proper five-star high school student.
In contrast, Morant was miserable enough. In high school, although his height rose from 1.75 meters to 1.83 meters, although he scored 1679 points to become the top scorer in high school history, and was twice selected to the South Carolina AAA team, he was still an obscure person who did not try to dunk for the first time until his senior season. Even, when Duke Sanjie was named a five-star high school student, Morant was "0 stars", and at one time only the University of South Carolina issued an invitation. Even Morant was shaken: "I wonder if I'm really bad? At that time, I made up my mind that as soon as there was a school that wanted me, I would go as soon as possible. ”
A chance to get Morant transited. At that time, James Kane, the assistant coach of Murray State, was traveling to Alabama to inspect other players, and as he was wandering around the road looking for a place to eat, he happened to see Morant playing in an alternate arena and was immediately attracted. Excited, he then dialed Murray State coach Matt McMahon and pleaded with him to come in person no matter what.
As a result, McMahon was glad he had missed the piece. Although other universities have also issued invitations at this time, Morant, who wants to repay the favor of knowledge, has promised Murray State University, and Zion has promised Duke at this time. In this regard, the old Morant's words have made his son remember vividly: "Every pair of parents hopes that their children can go to prestigious schools, but I realize that instead of going where you want to go, you should go where you want to go." ”
At this time, Morant was angered by a report from the outside world that said that if Morant participated in the NBA draft in 2018, there was no possibility of being selected. In order to better prepare for the NCAA career, Morant, like a child, began to practice hard with his father in the backyard, and even his sister came to help.
Plenty of preparation allowed Morant to soar during the NCAA. In his freshman year, he averaged 12+6+6 per game, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 24.5 points, 10 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, shooting 49.9% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range, becoming the first player in NCAA history to average 20+10 per game in a single season, and became the NCAA's assist king that season, was selected as the best player in the United States, and was elected the best player in the OVC region.
Yahoo Sports reporter Pat Forde boldly predicted: "Morant will become the first top 10 pick from a secondary school in the past 5 years, and even the first top 5 pick from a secondary school since Olovo Candy in 1998." ”
What followed was history. In the 2019 draft, after the Pelicans picked Zion, the Grizzlies picked up Morant with the 2nd pick. Accompanied by his father, Morant, wearing a Grizzly ball hat, choked up. From "0-star high school student" to the top-eye show, God knows what he's been through.
In the rookie season, in the case of Zion's delay in completing his debut due to injury, Morant took the lead, once leading the Grizzlies to approach the playoffs, but unfortunately failed to seize the opportunity to resume. But Morant took the rookie king trophy from Zion; in the 2020-21 season, Morant decided to leave no regrets, winning the Spurs and Warriors in the playoffs, leading the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, while Zion was still hovering outside the playoffs; and this season, Morant was heading for the All-Star.
Praise and doubt are twin brothers. When they realized that Morant might achieve something beyond Zion, everyone still dismissed the latter when he called himself the "top 5 point guard in the league"; and when they praised Morant as "Iverson second", everyone did not forget to add: "This kid is just as crazy as the AI of the year." Last season, Morant was once caught in the strange circle of "the higher the score, the lower the team's winning percentage", and this season this scene has recurred, but in another way. Halfway through Season 3, questions about Morant were already packed in the basket.
Qian Zhongshu once said: "A person is not crazy when he reaches the age of 20, and this person is not out of the ordinary." This is the right thing to say to Morant. Perhaps, it's not that Morant is too crazy, but that we've been looking down on him. (Supine Braces/Hairy)