NBA: Grizzlies Rookie Ja Morant Infused With Penny Hardaway’s Legacy

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant could carry some of the things he learned from NBA legend Penny Hardaway as he enters the league.

Like Morant, Hardaway played two seasons of college basketball and was selected in the top three of the NBA Draft. But Hardaway and Morant not only have similarities in terms of how they made it to the NBA. Some might not know but the two also share the same love for the city of Memphis.

In a recent interview with The Commercial Appeal, Morant said that he is grateful for having been mentored by Hardaway and he plans to carry all of the things he learned from the legend into the NBA.

“Just having him and (assistant coach) Mike Miller take me under their wing to be a mentor for me is good," Morant said.

Hardaway, who is the head coach of the Memphis Tigers, also commended Morant for pursuing his dreams. According to the former Orlando Magic superstar, Morant worked his way up to where he is now and he is just perfect for the city of Memphis.

“Just having him here and understanding his story, him coming out of nowhere, and grinding really hard to get to where he is now, he’s in the right city,” Hardaway said about Morant this summer.

Despite already making it to the pros, Morant is still showing the Memphis Tigers some gratitude. In fact, the NBA rookie sensation has been actively participating in the recruitment of the team.

“It’s just me showing love back to Memphis. I know they have a special group over there is some special talent coming out of high school this year. If Memphis is on their list, I think that’s where they need to go,” Morant said about recruiting for the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Morant seemed to enjoy his debut at FedexForum as he finished with 10 points and 7 assists to go along with 3 rebounds as Memphis topped Maccabi Haifa 123-88 on Sunday in the Grizzlies' preseason opener. The No. 2 pick in this year ’ s Draft played an efficient 18 1/2 minutes, shooting 5 for 8 from the floor, Yahoo Sports reported.

In the last minute of the first quarter of his NBA debut, Morant drove down the lane for a two-handed dunk and hyped the crowd up.

Many believe that if Morant can keep the similarities going by showing the same talent that Hardaway did as an NBA rookie, the Grizzlies' future will be bright.