When Ja Morant arrived at Murray State in Kentucky, he went unnoticed around town and on campus.
For a while at least.
“Coming from being under the radar, I could sit somewhere and nobody would know me,” Morant said Thursday at the NBA draft combine. “Now, going to the grocery store, going out to eat, and someone is like, ‘Hey, Ja!’ Before, I could sit in there 30 minutes to an hour and nobody would know me.”
Morant chuckled at the thought of how quickly his fame and his prospects have risen.
A 6-foot-3 guard from a small South Carolina town, Morant was unranked by every major recruiting service as a high school player. College recruiters didn’t notice him either, until a Murray State coach, in town to watch another player, accidentally stumbled upon Morant in a gym while looking for a snack.
After an All-Ohio Valley Conference freshman season, Morant saw his renown go national as a sophomore this past season, earning a reputation as one of college basketball’s most exciting and productive players.
Now he’s not only noticed, he’s wanted.
Morant is projected to be the No. 2 pick by the Grizzlies behind Duke phenomenon Zion Williamson, whom the Pelicans are expected to take with the first pick.
“It’s been crazy,” Morant said. “Coming from being under the radar to one of the most talked about players now, it’s something I’m getting used to but I’m happy for it.”
Morant wowed NBA scouts and fans with his spectacular dunks and skillful passing. He averaged 24.5 points and 10 assists to become the first player since the NCAA started recording assists in 1983-84 to average at least 20 and 10.
His 331 assists for the season was the sixth-highest total in NCAA history, and he led the 12th-seeded Racers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In an 83-64 first-round victory over Marquette — the first look at Morant for many fans — he posted the ninth official triple-double in NCAA Tournament history with 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds.
“I’d rather take an assist over a bucket any day,” Morant said.
Players of Morant’s caliber frequently opt out of participating in the combine workouts. Williamson chose against working out for scouts this week at Quest Multisport. Morant could have done the same.
“Just the experience, just to be here,” he said. “This was my goal, my dream, and I’m here at the combine. This week has just been great. It’s most people’s dream to be in this position.”
He said he’ll concentrate this summer on improving his upper-body strength.
“Really being able to absorb contact in the league,” he said. “I’m in the weight room now actually. Really just my upper body. I’m sure everyone knows I can jump.”
Morant’s mission isn’t just tied to the motivation of being an overlooked recruit. He feels like it’s his family destiny.
His father, Tee, was a high school teammate of Ray Allen, and after an NAIA career, he planned to play professionally overseas. But then, Morant said, his mom told his dad she was pregnant.
“Instead of going to play basketball, he stayed to raise me,” he said. “That’s my motivation. I’m living my dream and his dream right now.”
Morant senses his life is about to change again. Going unrecognized in grocery stores will become even rarer.
He said he rarely has traveled outside his home state except for college and wherever the Racers schedule took him. He had never been to Chicago before this week. The most he knows about his probable future home — Memphis, Tenn. — is that the Grizzlies play there.
“I haven’t been to a lot of places except South Carolina,” he said. “Going to a new spot and getting to see how it is will be fun. If I could take the fame away, I would. I just want to play basketball at the highest level.”
Twitter @sryantribune
