WATCH: Ja Morant gives NBA fans ‘Christmas gift’ by dunking over 7’4” phenom Victor Wembanyama in anticipated duel

Ja Morant's electrifying dunk over Victor Wembanyama highlights a night of high-flying NBA action.

WATCH: Ja Morant gives NBA fans ‘Christmas gift’ by dunking over 7’4” phenom Victor Wembanyama in anticipated duel

Ja Morant doing the 'On his Head' celebration after dunking on 7'4" Victor Wembanyama (Image via ESPN)

Memphis Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant made headlines with a jaw-dropping dunk over San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-4 rookie sensation, Victor Wembanyama. The much-anticipated matchup between the two young stars turned into a showcase of Morant’s aerial prowess as he soared past Wembanyama, one of the NBA’s tallest players, in a moment that had fans leaping from their seats.

The signature drop-cross from Morant had Wemby beat, and a poor-timed jump from the latter allowed Ja to soar past him and slam the ball in, despite the late contact. Morant slammed the backboard as he yelled in celebration, and the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

YouTube video

The dunk was the nail in the coffin for the San Antonio Spurs and a cherry on top of the Grizzlies’ 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant led the charge for his team, showcasing his all-around game with 26 points and 10 assists.

FS Video

On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama impressed with his defensive skills, recording 4 blocks, including one against Morant early in the game. The duel between these two stars was a captivating subplot in an already intense matchup.

Ultimately, it was the Memphis Grizzlies who emerged victorious, defeating the Spurs 106-98. This win was a significant morale booster for the Grizzlies, snapping their three-game losing streak. This also marked a third straight loss for the Spurs who have been struggling since the start of the season.

Ja Morant wishes fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with dunk on Wemby

When the NBA community saw Wembanyama for the first time, everyone was hyped about his eventual matchup with Morant. The rookie phenom was blocking shots left and right, and fans joked that this put him right on Morant’s radar. The young star was, however, quite unexpectedly nonchalant about his achievement post-game:

Ja Morant said post-game that he doesn't try to dunk on people anymore and is just looking to score (ESPN)
Ja Morant said post-game that he doesn’t try to dunk on people anymore and is just looking to score (ESPN)
The moment was just like any other moment for me when somebody guarding me. My goal is to score, so… I don’t tryna dunk on people like I used to before. Just get a bucket, man, find a way… That’s what everybody wanted, so it’s my late Christmas gift, Happy New Year gift.

The fan-favorite star Ja Morant is, however, notoriously known around the league for trying to get a dunk on well, anyone possible, regardless of how tall or strong the player might be. He has expressed his ambition to dunk on the likes of LeBron James, who is arguably one of the best shot-blockers of all time.

In Case You Missed: