While playing in the pros takes most athletes away from their hometowns, they never forget where they came from. This is true, at least, for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who sounded pleased to be in the company of New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson and two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. All three players come from South Carolina: Morant was born there; Williamson went to high school there; and Wilson played for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college.
Recognizing this heritage, SLAMOnline posted photos of the three athletes on X, formerly Twitter. In response, Morant quoted the original post and replied, “Stamp dat!!”
Ja Morant builds a legacy with the Grizzlies
Besides their shared provenance, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, and A’ja Wilson have made names for themselves in the world of basketball.
First, the Grizzlies drafted Morant second overall in 2019, hoping to find their franchise player as the Grit ‘n’ Grind Grizzlies ended their prolific run in the West.
The explosive guard out of Murray State University quickly became one of the league’s rising stars, thanks to his burst, athletic ability, and fearlessness to finish in the paint reminiscent of a younger Russell Westbrook.
Moreover, the two-time All-Star helped lead the Grizz back into the playoffs for three straight seasons, though the deepest they went was the second round in 2022, where they lost to the eventual champions Golden State Warriors.
Over that span, Morant and the Grizzlies have also built a reputation as brash young players who liked to talk, even though they haven’t really won anything to back it up.
Their overconfidence might have also rubbed players the wrong way, such as the time Dillon Brooks called LeBron old, after which the Lakers eliminated them 125-85 in Game 6 of the 2023 first round.
Sending Brooks to the Rockets seemed to mark a new direction for the team, but Ja Morant’s gun videos and consequent suspensions also seemed to push them back. Still, a more mature Morant, with the addition of veteran Marcus Smart, should stabilize the Grizzlies and push them forward to their former spot as legitimate title contenders.
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South Carolina stars
Meanwhile, the two-time All-Star Zion Williamson has yet to lead the Pelicans on a deep playoff run, but the addition of Dejounte Murray could help their quest. Moreover, the team seems to want to place all their cards on Williamson as they have yet to settle an extension with Brandon Ingram, making a trade likely.
On the WNBA side, A’ja Wilson scored 1,000 points in the Las Vegas Aces’ win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, becoming the first player in league history to do so. Likewise, as of Monday, she is only three boards away from breaking Angel Reese’s single-season rebounding record.
Of the three South Carolina stars, Wilson is the only one with a league championship, and is now on the hunt for her third consecutive WNBA title and third MVP.
