Ja Morant on Michael Jordan: ‘I would’ve cooked him, too’

It’s one thing to be confident in the NBA, and then there’s Ja Morant. In a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, the Grizzlies star said that if he played in Michael Jordan’s era, the all-time great would’ve been no match for him. “I wish I would’ve played in his generation, though,” Morant said on Jordan. “Just how he go about the game, that mindset he had … I would like to play against him. … I would’ve cooked him, too.
Source: Joseph Salvador @ Sports Illustrated

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

BasketNews @BasketNews_com
Ja Morant is one of the brightest stars in the NBA right now, and he has the confidence to back it up.
1-on-1 with the legendary Michael Jordan in his time? Ja says he would easily beat him 👀
basketnews.com/news-175009-ja… – 1:19 AM

Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Santi Aldama just flew in the air, blocked a shot, then stared at the courtside row where several of his Grizzlies teammates are sitting. A group featuring Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks stood up clapping and yelling. – 10:46 PM

Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Current Grizzlies at today’s game:
Ja Morant
Tyus Jones
Dillon Brooks
Danny Green
Killian Tillie
John Konchar
Easy to see the results of why the Grizzlies emphasize culture so much through the draft process. Almost all of the Grizzlies’ roster is in Vegas. – 9:46 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Dillon Brooks just rolled in and getting dapped up by the Memphis contingent, which now includes Danny Green, Ja Morant, Taylor Jenkins, Tayshaun Prince, Zach Kleiman, Killian Tillie and Tyus Jones, among others. – 9:43 PM

Ja Morant @JaMorant
wit 50 .. i heard you
better watch how you talk when you talk about me 😮‍💨😂 pic.twitter.com/obKjobg0gZ – 8:15 PM

Ja Morant @JaMorant
very accurate 🎯 – 7:39 PM

Ja Morant @JaMorant
black jesus @Jaren Jackson Jr. – 6:55 PM

Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Taylor Jenkins on the NBA TV broadcast talking about Ja Morant: “His I.Q. is off the charts. We were at dinner last night and he was just talking Xs and Os from summer league games with the rookies. He’s helping them.” – 10:21 PM

Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few is sitting first row on the baseline, directly across from Ja Morant on the other end of the floor – 9:02 PM

Ja Morant @JaMorant
🙏🏽 – 5:43 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
League source confirms that Ja Morant’s extension in Memphis is the full five years with no player option, and contains a 15% trade kicker. – 3:49 PM

Geoff Calkins @geoff_calkins
Why Ja Morant calls Memphis “home.” Column: dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec… – 11:06 PM

Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Geoff Calkins: Why Ja Morant calls Memphis home. dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec… – 11:01 PM

Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant walks in and greets Zach Kleiman.
“My guy.” pic.twitter.com/KssyrGSbXJ – 7:57 PM

Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN
New podcast. Looking at important details in new contracts for Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Bradley Beal & others plus a look at Donovan Mitchell’s future (w/@Tim MacMahon & @Tim Bontemps) spoti.fi/3yPHpye – 6:57 PM

More on this storyline

 

“Safe plays, pretty much,” Morant said. “Honestly, I don’t ever think anybody go out to hurt anybody, for sure. I feel like even if you don’t like a person, you’re just not going to go and try to end a person’s career or anything like that. But no, it’s just being safe you know, it’s just certain things you pretty much can’t do. Obviously, we had two incidents in that series where players went out, but at the end of the day, you got apologies from both of those players who did whatever. “I feel like we all rooting for each other that end of the day, playing in the league you got to be safe. You got to obviously protect yourself but if you have a chance to stop something or let somebody keep playing in the series, pretty much just don’t do it, but it’s over now. It is what it is.” -via NBC Sports / July 11, 2022

“Obviously, I was frustrated how I got hurt. I sent the tweet,” Morant told Rooks. “I actually — once again, my mom came into play like, ‘No, delete it.’ Then I seen people start trying to talk trash like, ‘Oh, you delete it.’ You saw at that time, I probably would have got fined for stuff I said, but I had to take that into consideration. But it’s all good. I ain’t tripping on that no more.” -via NBC Sports / July 10, 2022

“Even when we were back at Golden State when I was walking on the court, [Poole] asked me was I good? Dapped me up,” Morant said. “Even some of their other players asked me on the side as well … That’s what it’s all about. We all at the end of the day, care for each other, all want everybody to succeed. So I don’t think there’s too much dirty players in this league to go and do anything. -via NBC Sports / July 10, 2022

The Blazers stud explained his reason behind picking Jordan as his own personal GOAT: “My NBA GOAT is Michael Jordan,” Lillard said, via Dame Nation on Twitter. “It’s just different when you talk about MJ. On the floor, it’s just never been nobody like him. Nobody electrified the crowd like him. The Air Jordan shoe, rocking the cradle, walking in the air, you know, it’s Jordan. … I don’t think it’s too much of a debate as far as who’s the GOAT, and I would say it’s Jordan.” -via Clutch Points / July 10, 2022

After heaping praise on MJ, Lillard did acknowledge LeBron James and how the Los Angeles Lakers star is also in contention for the GOAT title: “Bron, that’s definitely a conversation to be had, but I think most people will look at Jordan as the GOAT,” Lillard concluded. -via Clutch Points / July 10, 2022

Jason Anderson: Malik Monk on Michael Jordan/LeBron James: “Lifechanging experiences from both aspects. With Jordan being the owner, I’ve seen things from that side, and with LeBron being a player, I’ve seen things from his side, so I had a lot of lifechanging experiences with those guys.” -via Twitter @JandersonSacBee / July 8, 2022