Ja Morant has put the entire NBA world on notice through his elite hooping talents. His meteoric ascent to prominence has seen the explosive point guard establish himself as one of the league’s best players. The Memphis Grizzlies star recently opened up about his journey to the NBA, and it’s fair to say, he’s been defying odds since the very outset.

Last season, Morant took a major leap as he averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. In addition to that, he even drove his squad to the Western Conference Semifinals, only to lose to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. Nonetheless, the former Murray State standout made a statement last season, putting his difficult journey to the league into perspective.

Ja Morant has been defining poetry in motion since his rookie year. With an array of electrifying dunks and ankle-breaking dribble moves, #12 has amassed a massive fan base. However, it took countless reps for him to hone his craft and cement himself as a highly recruited prospect in college.

His freshman year at Murray State showed flashes of brilliance. However, it wasn’t enough to capture the interest of the scouts. It was his breakout sophomore year when attention for Morant started to mount. In his sophomore season at Murray State, he posted 24.5 points, 10 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. In fact, he became the first player in NCAA history to average at least 20 points and 10 assists throughout the course of a season.

His thunderous dunks as well as NBA-ready offensive skill set evolved him into a viral star. The legend of Ja Morant spread like wildfire and eventually, he was selected as the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Morant’s road to the NBA has been nothing short of spectacular, and he recently got candid about his entire journey.

Ja Morant gets real about his NBA journey

Ja Morant recently made an appearance on The Pivot Podcast and decided to shed some light on his journey to stardom. The interviewer contrasted his journey to the league to that of Stephen Curry.

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He suggested that Morant, like the Warriors‘ superstar, was not recruited as highly as his talent or career currently suggests he should have been. The interviewer then asked him how he felt about his peers receiving all of the offers. He also asked him how he managed to stay on course.

“I can say it was hard”, Morant said right off the bat. “It was definitely frustrating. Definitely you know…make you get down on yourself when you know I’m playing against these guys and killing them and then I’m watching them get all these big-time offers and still no offers for me.”

Morant then went on to talk about how he stayed on track, giving all the credit to his parents.

“As far as staying level, I can give credit to my parents,” the point guard said. “They always tell me you know don’t worry about it…basically cream always rises to the top. I felt like it was easy for them to say, it was easy for me to listen, but as far as actually doing it, it was pretty tough and you know…I did it man.”

He then went on to praise his father, saying how he always told him that “once you get your foot in the door, kick it down.” Basically, his father urged him to make the most out of every emerging opportunity, which he did.

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Ja Morant took a major leap last season and he is only going to get better. What is your favorite moment from Ja Morant’s young career? Let us know in the comments section below.