There has been much speculation in recent years about who will be the future face of the NBA once LeBron James and Stephen Curry retire. Even though they are years distant from meeting in the Finals every season, they remain among the finest and most popular players in the league, and as long as they’re playing, the community tunes in.

One player who is frequently mentioned in this context is Memphis Grizzlies superstar guard Ja Morant. He’s only 23 years old and already has two All-Star selections, a Most Improved Player award, and a Nike signature shoe.

When everything is said and done, he may go down as the most athletic point guard of all time, and while there has been a lot of hoopla off the court surrounding his name, there is no doubt about his generational potential on the floor.

But the former Murray State guard already pays attention to those who came before him, and one person he’s always looked up to is Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. He’s already discussed how he analyzed his approach to the game and how he managed late-game pressure. He recently received two new tattoos including Bryant’s distinctive insignia as well as a ’24’ with the word ‘Mentality’ written over it.

Morant leads a highly young and talented Grizzlies team, and despite recent regular-season success, they have yet to carry that over to the playoffs. He understands how important this summer is to him, and he’s likely getting these tattoos to represent his thinking moving forward.