How tall is Ja Morant? Memphis Grizzlies star dominates games despite his not-so-typical basketball height
| Full Name | Temetrius Jamel Morant |
| Date of Birth | 10 August, 1999 |
| Age | 24 (as of 2023) |
| Place of Birth | Dalzell, South Carolina |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) approx |
| Weight | 79 kg (174 lbs) approx |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Net Worth | $80 million |
| Ex-girlfriend | Kadre Dixon |
| Children | 1 - Kaari Jaidyn Morant |
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant is a rising basketball star who has been taking the NBA by storm with his ability to dominate the game, despite having a shorter height compared to the average basketball player. Ja Morant's height is 6 ft 3 in (191 cm).
Known for his poster-worthy jump shots, the 23-year-old Memphis Grizzlies star was the 2019–2020 Rookie of the Year. Morant’s playing style is often characterized by his explosive athleticism and ability to make plays for himself and his teammates.
However, despite all his achievements, one question that often comes up among NBA fans is, "How tall is Ja Morant?"
Ja Morant is shorter than the typical basketball player
Ja Morant stands at an impressive height of 6 ft 3 in (191 cm), as per ESPN. The basketball player may not be as tall as his giant opponents, but Ja Morant’s height has not held him back in his career, as he has always been a dominating force on the court.
Ja Morant is apparently shorter than the typical basketball player, but he has repeatedly shown that his stature is not the sole determinant of success in the league.
Even though the heights of players vary, the average stature of the NBA lineup for the season of 2023-24 is 6 ft 6 in(198.6 cm), according to Lines. This makes Ja Morant around three inches shorter than the average height.
Having said that, the star guard has excelled against taller opponents with his talent, quickness, and shooting precision since he entered the professional league as the second pick of the first round for the Grizzlies during the 2019 draft.
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Ja Morant’s height compared to other NBA players
Ja Morant’s height and on-court prowess have sparked comparisons with countless legends who sent the NBA world into a meltdown with their marvelous moves.
The NBA player appears a lot shorter when compared to players like Giannis Antetokounmpo (6 ft 11 in or 210 cm), Kevin Durant (6 ft 11 in or 210), and LeBron James (6 ft 10 in or 208 cm).
However, Ja Morant shares the height of 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) with C J McCollum, Goran Dragic, Gary Payton II, and Jrue Holiday.
Even though Ja Morant may seem shorter than many stars, he is still taller than many ace basketball players like Damien Lillard (6 ft 2 in or 187cm), Steph Curry (6 ft 2 in or 187cm), and Kyrie Irving (6 ft 1 in or 185cm).
How high is Ja Morant's vertical jump?
Before being drafted, Ja Morant recorded a 44-inch vertical jump during his workouts with the team, and the impressive feat helped him secure a high rank in the list of the highest verticals. In the list, the first place is secured by Dennis Smith Jr, who has one of the highest recorded verticals in NBA history with 48 inches.
Michael Jordan also achieved a similar vertical jump of 48 inches while playing for the US Olympic team in 1984.
Ja Morant's height and its impact on the game
Ja Morant's height, its impact on his career, and comparisons with other NBA point guards
The average height of NBA players during the 2022-2023 NBA season was about 6 ft 6 inches or 198.1 cm. Morant's height thus makes him just three inches shorter than the overall average.
However, for the last few years, the average height of the point guards is around 6 ft 2.5 inches, per The Hoops Geek. Thus Morant's height at 6 ft 3 inches gives him a slight advantage over other players of the same position.
His other peers also lie in the same height bracket with Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, and Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving all standing tall at 6 ft 2 inches (188 cm).
While Los Angeles Lakers' former star Magic Johnson has an exceptional height for point guards at 6 ft 9 inches (206 cm), there are instances of shorter point guards as well.
Golden Statre Warriors' Chris Paul and Philadelphia 76ers' former point guard Allen Iverson stood tall at 6 ft (183 cm).
While height surely gives an added edge to a player's performance on court, Morant's shorter height gives him certain perks as well.
A slightly shorter height gives him a lower center of gravity, giving him better balance, per Minimalist Focus. Moreover, he is specifically known for his dunking ability.
Entry into professional basketball and notable seasons
While Morant has had a prolific school and college career, his professional entry into basketball happened when he was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA draft as the second overall pick.
Morant had a notable season and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. He also earned the NBA All-Rookie First Team honor in the same season.
His 2020-2021 season went moderately well, including getting a playoff appearance for the Grizzlies. However, the Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs.
During the 2021-22 season, Morant became the third player in NBA playoffs history to have multiple 45-point games before turning 23 years old, after Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. 2022 went well for Morant as in January 2022, he was named as a starter to his first NBA All-Star Game.
In 2022, he also won the NBA Most Improved Player Award, along with a selection to the All-NBA Team.
Ja Morant's controversies
Despite earning a five-year extension contract with the Grizzlies, Ja Morant's 2022-2023 season was marred with certain controversial incidents including altercations and firearms.
The Athletic reported an altercation between Morant's associates and the members of the Indiana Pacers on February 5, 2023. After severe verbal squabble during the game, many acquaintances of Morant "aggressively confronted" the Pacers' party near their team bus.
A red laser was also thrown at them from an SUV in which Morant was riding. Though Morant denied the allegations, a Pacers' security guard felt it was a gun.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass later stated that while post-game confrontation ensued, they could not "corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon." He added that certain individuals were banned from attending games at Grizzlies' home turf at FedEx Forum.
Morant later tweeted and said his acquaintance Davonte Pack was banned from attending the games at the arena for a year.
Later, Morant got involved in two other instances of flashing guns while live on Instagram. On March 4, the NBA initiated a gun investigation against Morant for flashing a gun at a Colorado nightclub.
Soon after, Grizzlies announced that he would be away for at least two games, with Morant announcing later that he would be away from the team for an indefinite amount of time to focus on his mental health. He also checked himself into a counselling program in Florida.
After missing six games, on March 15, he met with NBA Commisioner Adam Silver following his exit from the facility. After a meeting with several top executives, NBA announced on that day that Morant had been suspended for eight games for the nightclub incident, making him eligible to return after two games as he already missed six.
However, on May 14, Morant was found flashing a gun during an Instagram Live session from his friend Davonte Pack's account. Following the incident, he was suspended for 25 games of the league on June 16.
He was also mandated to do a league-sponsored program that addressed his wrongdoings.
After fulfilling his suspension, Morant recently made a comeback on December 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans. He made his comeback memorable by scoring 34 points and the match-winning shot in the Grizzlies' 115-113 win against the Pelicans.
Early life
Ja Morant was born to Tee and Jamie Morant on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina.
His mother Jamie was a point guard at high school and his father Tee was a high school teammate of Ray Allen and played basketball for Claflin University. Morant started playing basketball under the guidance of his father.
Morant later played in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit with the South Carolina Hornets.
High school career
Ja Morant attended Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina, and grew from 5 ft 9 inches (175 cm) to 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) in his first three years with the team.
Morant left the school as its all-time leading scorer, with 1,679 points.
College career
Morant received his only high major NCAA Division I offer from Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference. He played for two seasons with Murray State from 2017 to 2019.
At the end of his sophomore year at Murray State, he was named OVC Player of the Year and first-team All-OVC, while leading the NCAA Division I in assists.
He also earned his first-team All-American honors from the United States Basketball Writers Association and second-team All-American honors.
Ja Morant's wingspan
Ja Morant's wingspan is measured at 6 ft 7 inches (201 cm).
Awards and honors
Even though Morant is just 24 years old, he has been awarded with several accolades. He has been named NBA All-Star twice - in 2022 and 2023 - along with a name at All-NBA Second Team in 2022.
He was awarded with NBA Most Improved Player in 2022. In 2020, he was the NBA Rookie of the Year and made the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
He also received the Lute Olson Award and Bob Cousy Award in 2019.
Where is Ja Morant from?
Ja Morant is from Dalzell, South Carolina.
How old is Ja Morant?
Born on August 10, 1999, Ja Morant is 24 years old.
What is Ja Morant's real name?
His real name is Temetrius Jamel Morant. Ja Morant is his nickname.
Is Ja Morant married?
Ja Morant is not married, but he is father to a daughter. On August 7, 2019, his girlfriend, KK Dixon, gave birth to their daughter Kaari Jaidyn Morant.