Ja Morant is easily one of the flashiest and most exciting dunkers in the NBA. Drafted as the 2nd overall pick in 2019, Ja quickly made his mark by winning Rookie of the Year—only the second Memphis Grizzlies player to do so, following Pau Gasol. From his first game to now, Ja has consistently been an incredible player. His coach, Taylor Jenkins, once told him to celebrate his accomplishments, saying, “The sky’s the limit for you.” This statement perfectly sums up Ja’s journey from an outstanding rookie to one of the league’s most electrifying stars.

What sets Ja apart is his mind-blowing athleticism, especially his ability to dunk. Standing at just 6’2” with a nearly 40-inch vertical, Ja doesn’t just dunk—he dominates. Anyone who dares to get in his way at the rim usually ends up on the wrong side of a highlight reel. One of his most jaw-dropping moments came against the San Antonio Spurs, when he dunked on Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ 7’3” center. Dunking over someone a whole foot taller is no small feat, and it left fans in awe. You can catch the clip on ESPN’s YouTube channel if you haven’t seen it yet.

But Ja’s career hasn’t been without controversy. While he’s a phenomenal player, his temper sometimes gets the best of him, especially when it comes to interactions with referees. For example, after a foul call against DeMar DeRozan, Ja received a second technical foul and was ejected from the game. Situations like this hurt his stats and reputation. On top of that, Ja’s off-court behavior has raised eyebrows. Despite his success and wealth, he’s been involved in troubling incidents, including a suspension for flashing a gun during a social media livestream. Fox Sports reported that he’s been suspended for a total of 33 games since March 2024. It’s clear that his choices off the court sometimes overshadow his talent on it.

For someone so known for dunking, fans were shocked when Ja seemingly stopped doing it altogether. Dunking is his signature—it’s what made him a star. So why did he self-impose a dunking ban? As it turns out, it’s all about protecting his health. “Sometimes I get knocked out of the air, and [a foul] doesn’t get called,” Ja explained. “After the game, you feel those little falls. So I just pick and choose… Two points are two points. I get it done. That’s all that matters.”

Even though fans booed when Ja broke his streak with a simple two-handed dunk that barely rocked the rim, he’s made it clear that staying healthy is his priority. According to ESPN, he’s learned to play smarter to avoid unnecessary injuries, even if that means giving up his signature highlight-reel moments.

Ja Morant may not dunk as often as he used to, but his ability to dominate the game remains undeniable. His decision to scale back on dunking shows a new level of maturity and focus on his long-term career. While fans might miss the jaw-dropping highlights, Ja’s choice proves that being healthy and performing at your best is what matters. Even if we don’t see as many flashy dunks, Ja Morant is still the incredible player we know—and he’s just getting started.