From being ROTY to being 7th in the MVP ranking in just his third year, Ja Morant’s ascent to the top was quick and explosive, just like his dunks. However, injuries and back-to-back suspensions hindered his progress and even threatened to dent his potential to become the next face of the league. But last year, it was enthralling to watch the 25-year-old in his best enthralling form, which unexpectedly got rewarded during the off-season.

In December, the 2x All-Star stated, “I’m not trying to dunk at all. Y’all think I’m lying. I’m dead serious.” But dunking is in his innate nature, which played a big role in putting him on the map when he played collegiately at Murray State. Despite stating he wouldn’t dunk, Ja Morant was back doing what he does best, and the NBA had to reward him for that. What did he do to earn that? He made a double-clutched two-handed reverse against the Boston Celtics, going between Derrick White and Kristaps Porziņģis to flush it home, look easy!

“🚨The results are in for AT&T Dunk of the Year🚨 Ja Morant takes home the first 2024-25 NBA Fan Favorites Award for his show-stopping reverse jam, as voted by YOU, the fans!” It was no MVP award, yet it felt personal for the Grizzlies star, and it was evident from his message to his fans.

“s/o to yall, my fans 💙 love is love !” His second statement was short but expressed his emotions perfectly. “they said i lost yall 🥹.”

He pointed out in another tweet, “it’s different when it’s given to you, all of mine i really earned it..” It was not the only time when fans backed him and his skills. The love for Ja Morant was on full display during his ‘Make Them Watch’ tour with Nike. There was a stop in China to inspire the local basketball players, and all of them, including the people on social media, were shocked to see what transpired next. And soon, calls for his participation in the next year’s dunk contest started.

He bounced the ball, leaped in the air, and performed a reverse dunk. Mind you, we are still in the off-season. So, from saying he wouldn’t do dunks a few months ago, to winning the award for the best dunk of the season, that’s how the NBA season was for Morant. Last year, he even got support from the legends of the game to state his claim.

Celtics and Knicks icons cheer for Ja Morant being in the race for the face of the league

We all know that soon LeBron James and Stephen Curry will retire. That’s why this past year, the debate about the next face was rampant. Some are mighty high on MVPs like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić to keep the flag flying. While some prefer young Americans like Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards to stake the claim, since the NBA is an American league. But somewhere in the conversation, Ja Morant‘s name was lost, but Kevin Garnett and Carmelo Anthony made sure to bring it up.

“I know the league don’t want [Morant] to be their face, I think they want [Wembanyama] to be the face. [Morant] is the face of the league man. …These little kids, they want to be on some Ja and Anthony Edwards. It’s Ja and Anthony Edwards.” KG once said on his podcast that the part of the league not preferring the Grizzlies’ superstar could stem from his g– violations in the past.

In 2023, he received two suspensions to his name. One for eight games and the second for 25 games, which was the ninth-longest ban in league history. But Melo knows the 25-year-old is turning a new leaf. “Everybody is against him. Nobody is on his side. He’s hooping. He’s letting you know I’m still doing what I’m doing. And I’m getting better as a person.”

That feeling is what even Morant shared via his tweet. Even though he didn’t say it, the love of the fans made him a little sentimental.