Watch: Ja Morant gets his own banner hanging across from FedEx Forum
The Memphis Grizzlies have found a franchise cornerstone in star guard Ja Morant, who has played a significant role in the team's resurgence, making it a frequent playoff contender since being selected No. 2 in the 2019 NBA draft. A new banner featuring Morant has been installed near the Grizzlies' home arena, the FedEx Forum.
This banner serves as an advertisement for the "Ja 2," the star player's second signature shoe with Nike, showcasing his new slogan, "I get up," along with an image of him soaring for a dunk while wearing the shoes.
The FedEx Forum shared a video of the banner installation, captioning it:
“The magic doesn’t just happen on the court – take a look at [Nike’s] newest home on the walls of #FedEx.”
Watch it below:
Morant's signature shoes are designed to prioritize comfort and support, effectively addressing the challenges posed by a full season of explosive movements, landings and lateral shifts—skills that Morant regularly showcases.
Talking about the shoe, Ja Morant expressed his goal of achieving maximum comfort.
“From the Ja 1 to the Ja 2, the core things remain the same. The work ethic doesn’t change,” Morant said (per Nike). “It’s about comfort, more bounce and bringing my fans into some different storytelling they may not know. We tell those stories through the colorways of my shoe.”
Ja Morant believes the 2024-25 Grizzlies have one of the best rosters he has ever played with
Ja Morant endured a difficult year marked by suspensions and injuries that kept him off the court for a significant duration.
He faced a 25-game suspension at the start of the 2023-24 season due to two incidents involving firearms on social media. Soon after returning, he suffered a torn labrum, which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season after only appearing in nine games.
During media day before this year’s regular season, Morant expressed his enthusiasm for the 2024-25 Grizzlies team.
“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters we’ve had, you know, on paper, depth-wise,” Morant said (per Commercial Appeal).
“And now being able to see the guys go out and when we’re playing and stuff, it gives me even more confidence. I feel like we’re pretty much loaded at every position. It’s gonna be interesting to see how it all pans out.”
The Grizzlies underwent several roster changes in the offseason, parting ways with Derrick Rose, Yuta Watanabe and Lamar Stevens, among others. They welcomed rookies Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer, as well as free agents Yuki Kawamura and James Huff to complement their core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr.