Even though Murray State isn’t exactly a dominant college basketball team, Ja Morant is an accomplished player on the court. During the 2019–2020 season, the guard for the Memphis Grizzlies made a big impression and never looked back. He is one of the most talented young players in the NBA, having guided his team to the postseason in back-to-back seasons.

When Morant was younger, he played on a trampoline and fractured his arm badly. That incident gave Ja an extra few inches of reach when driving to the basket, in addition to being a formative experience for him generally in terms of toughness.
It should go without saying that nobody desires to be hurt badly. But Ja Morant discovered an unintended benefit from a childhood setback.


According to Michael Pina in Sports Illustrated, “Morant broke his arm when he was 6 years old after falling off a trampoline.” “His sister called [his father Tee] while he was at work. Ja’s screams could be heard in the background. Tee adds, “I’m talking about, he broke it bad.” It seemed like if his elbow pushed up against his shoulder. Tee attempted to soothe his son during the hospital drive. For me, you have to be a huge man. For me, you have to be a big boy, he explains. Then, “This dude found a way to stop crying in spite of all his pain.”
The guard’s play still demonstrates that toughness. Ja suffered a sprained ankle, a fractured thumb, a knee scope, and an MCL injury in November 2021, as Pina mentioned. Despite the fact that all of that has reduced his playing time—Morant has suit up for 187 regular-season games over the course of three campaigns—it hasn’t stopped him from becoming an NBA superstar.


In a more practical sense, Morant’s rim-attacking style has also been impacted by his broken arm.


Pina continued, “Ja’s left arm is an inch or two longer than his right as a result of the accident.” He still uses his left hand for driving twice as frequently as his dominant one. Shaq Buchanan, a guard for the Memphis Hustle of the G League and roommate of Jared Morant during college, says, “He goes left every time because he can reach out farther.”