Ja Morant stepped in to console a little Memphis Grizzlies fan after her cherished basketball was stolen.
Ellie Hughes, an 11-year-old Grizzlies fan, was trying to capture Morant’s attention for an autograph during Monday’s game versus San Antonio when her unique ball was stolen by two people.
Hughes, of Forrest City, Arkansas, had been collecting autographs on the ball for the past six years.
Morant reached out to her family after learning about her situation on social media, invited her to Wednesday night’s rematch against the Spurs, and then handed her his game-worn jersey and Ja 1 Nike sneakers, which have yet to be disclosed to the public.
“It’s something I pretty much love to do,” Morant remarked of his thoughtful gesture. “You touch someone’s heart in that way. For years, I’ve been a Grizzlies fan. These are the moments that mean the most to them. “It’s something they’ll never forget.”
Morant also put on a display, scoring 38 points as the Grizzlies defeated San Antonio 135-129 for their eighth straight victory.
The star guard, who had missed the previous two games due to right thigh pain, shot 14 of 25 from the field, including 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point line. With 3:35 left, he also had a right-handed hammer dunk over Spurs big Jakob Poeltl to help Memphis keep its advantage.