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WATCH: 7-ft NBA Star Gets Bullied as Ja Morant Hypes His Newest Teammate in Utter Disbelief

Published 07/07/2022, 9:00 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The NBA Summer League is in full swing. The young guns are putting on a spectacle to make the league take note of their developing talent. Chet Holmgren is one of those up-and-coming stars who is only scratching the surface of his enormous potential.

Holmgren starred in his second Summer League game, taking on the Memphis Grizzlies. While the opening game highlighted his superior talent in comparison to his contemporaries, his second ballgame didn’t go as planned. In fact, it went so south that he got bullied by an undrafted player.

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Kenny Lofton Jr. is on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies. Fellow rookies might have been intimidated facing the second overall pick in the draft. Not Lofton Jr. though, as he went right at Holmgren and bullied him throughout the contest. The Grizzlies may have lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the 6’7″ forward did not go unnoticed.

He put on a 23-minute clinical display, amassing 19 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists. Lofton Jr. also showcased his touch from beyond the arc, sinking two three-pointers. The youngster did not waste any time going to work too, producing 14 points in the first half alone.

However, what impressed the most was perhaps his ability to go right into Holmgren’s chest, possession after possession, and finish at the rim. He physically commanded the painted area and manhandled the high-priced draft pick.

He faced little to no resistance against the seven-footer. Holmgren is renowned for his length, which helps him swat shots with ease. That wasn’t the case against Lofton Jr. though, who got the best of his former USA teammate in a spectacular duel.

His effort came on the heels of a strong debut in which he scored nine points on 4-5 shooting.

Ja Morant was impressed by his teammate bullying Chet Holmgren

Kenny Lofton Jr.’s scouting report highlighted his ability to physically bully his opponents and finish strong at the rim. He certainly showcased that physicality, to go along with a deep three-pointer in Holmgren’s face.

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That certainly drew the attention of his teammate Ja Morant, who dapped him after the tough bucket.

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The Grizzlies standout also went ahead and gave Lofton a shout-out through his tweet.

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The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a season in which they hushed many naysayers and impressed many with their hustle and gritty attitude. They made the Western Conference Semi-finals but were ousted by the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. Nonetheless, their incredible season saw many people take notice of the talent Memphis possesses.

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Lofton Jr. will probably get a guaranteed deal if he continues to shine in the Summer League. Could Lofton Jr. feature for the Grizzlies in the NBA next season? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Ritvik Malhotra

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Ritvik is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Ritvik has finally got his foot in the door as a professional sports writer. He previously interned at another media house where he authored over 150 soccer articles, but he is now writing about his primary obsession, basketball.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani