The Memphis Grizzlies' All-Star guard made a massive splash in the NBA during last night's (January 14) game, which pit them against the Indiana Pacers. Ja Morant wowed the NBA with his poster dunk on Jalen Smith. Moreover, some are calling it the dunk of the year (it's barely two weeks into January, but let Twitter live). Still, the highest praise may come from some of the legends and basketball figures that praised the feat.
Even considering his 6'3" height, the 6'10" Smith stood no chance against Morant's rush to the rim. Although he missed previous attempts at this kind of dunk, this is indisputably one of the best in his career. Given the bombastic moment, the dunk went viral online, with Hall of Fame Kevin Garnett giving his props.
"When we look back on Ja’s in game dunk highlights when it’s all said and done it’s gonna be up there with some of the greatest ever," the former Celtic tweeted.
Meanwhile, other NBA stars sought to share their mindblown reactions. Kyle Kuzma, forward for the Washington Wizards, agreed with Garnett's statement. Also, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant shared a collection of memes summarizing his thought. After all, a picture's worth a thousand words, and a meme can be worth millions.
Also, former pro and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins reaffirmed his once-criticized support for the Grizzlies last season. He even advocated for a spot for Morant on the NBA All-Star Game roster this year. In fact, he's third in fan votes in the guard category, right behind Luka Doncic and Steph Curry.
"The fans want to see HIGHLIGHTS… and that’s exactly what Ja Morant is going to give you," he tweeted. "The MOST ELECTRIFYING PLAYER in the NBA!!!"
Still, there's one other request people (and current players) have for Morant: please, please compete in the NBA Dunk Contest. Moreover, Donovan Mitchell urged him to do so on Twitter, and the All-Star weekend competition has one spot left. While many have cried out their excitement at the prospect, the likelihood seems low.
Regardless, what did you think of Ja Morant's incredible dunk last night against Jalen Smith of the Indiana Pacers? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest in basketball news and highlights.