If you look at the official box score of a Memphis Grizzlies game, you'll see a very specific set of numbers next to the name Temetrius Jamel Morant. 6'2" and 174 pounds. It sounds... human. Normal, even. If you ran into a guy with those measurements at a local YMCA, you wouldn’t necessarily think he’s about to jump over a 7-foot Frenchman and ruin someone's career on national television.
But that’s the thing about ja morant height and weight. In the NBA, the paper stats are often a polite suggestion rather than a hard boundary. For years, fans argued whether he was actually 6'3" or if the Grizzlies were just being generous with the tape measure. Then the league cracked down on "vanity heights," and suddenly, a lot of guys "shrank." Ja, however, stayed right in that 6'2" to 6'3" sweet spot.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter if he’s 6'2" or 6'5". He plays like he’s 6'10" and moves like he’s 5'10". It’s a weird, glitch-in-the-matrix kind of athleticism that makes his physical profile one of the most studied—and misunderstood—in modern basketball.
The Reality of Ja Morant Height and Weight
Let's talk about that 174-pound frame. In a league where "positionless basketball" usually means everyone is a 210-pound wing made of pure muscle, Ja is noticeably thin. He’s lean. Stringy.
But don't mistake that for weakness.
That 174-pound weight is actually his secret weapon. It’s why his change of direction looks so violent. Because he doesn’t have the massive bulk of a traditional guard, he has a power-to-weight ratio that is basically off the charts. Think of it like a fighter jet versus a commercial airliner. He can hit 100% speed in two steps because there’s no "dead weight" holding him back.
The 6'2" Illusion
Most people see Ja soaring for a lob and assume he’s taller. He isn't. When he stood next to Steph Curry or Damian Lillard, the height difference was negligible. What makes him feel bigger is the wingspan.
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Ja sports a 6'7" wingspan.
That’s five inches longer than his actual height. That’s the "reach" of a much taller player. It allows him to poke balls away on defense and, more importantly, scoop layups around the outstretched arms of shot-blockers like Rudy Gobert or Victor Wembanyama. If he had average arms for a 6'2" guy, he’d be getting his shot swatted into the third row every night. Instead, he uses that extra length to find angles that shouldn't exist.
Weight Gains and the "Bulking" Myth
Every summer, we see the same workout videos. Ja in the gym, lifting heavy, looking a bit more "cut." Fans start shouting that he’s finally "bulked up" to 190.
It hasn't happened. And it probably shouldn't.
NBA trainers, including those who have worked with the Grizzlies' staff, often talk about the "optimal weight" for high-flyers. If Ja put on 20 pounds of muscle, he might be better at taking hits in the paint, but would he still have that 44-inch vertical? Probably not. The torque he puts on his knees and ankles is already terrifying. Adding more weight to that frame could actually increase his injury risk rather than lower it. He’s built for flight, not for post-ups.
How His Physics Changes the Game
When you combine ja morant height and weight with his estimated 44-inch vertical leap, you get a very specific type of physics. Most guards his size are "below the rim" players. They use floaters and craftiness. Ja? He’s a rim-attacker.
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He’s basically a 174-pound wrecking ball.
The way he uses his weight is actually pretty genius. He’s a master of "initiating contact." Because he knows he’s lighter than the guys guarding him, he often jumps into their chest first. This offsets the defender's balance. By the time the big man recovers, Ja is already at the apex of his jump, using that 6'7" reach to finish the play. It’s high-speed geometry.
The Durability Question
We have to be real here. Being 174 pounds and playing the way he does is a gamble. His style is high-impact. Every time he lands from one of those "how did he do that?" dunks, his joints take a pounding.
Over the last few seasons, we’ve seen the toll. Sore knees, tweaked ankles. The medical staff in Memphis has a massive job: keeping a guy who weighs less than some high schoolers from breaking when he hits the floor at 20 miles per hour. They focus heavily on "landing mechanics"—teaching him how to fall so he doesn't absorb all that force in one spot.
Comparison to Other NBA "Small" Guards
To understand why Ja's build is so unique, you have to look at his peers.
- Kyrie Irving: Similar height, but heavier and more "grounded." Kyrie uses handles; Ja uses launch angles.
- De'Aaron Fox: Possibly the only guy faster than Ja, but Fox is more of a horizontal speedster. Ja is vertical.
- Derrick Rose (Prime): This is the closest comparison. Rose was about 190-200 pounds of pure explosive power. Ja is much lighter, which makes him look even more "floaty" in the air.
Ja is a outlier. Most guys his weight are three-point specialists who hide in the corners. He’s the opposite. He’s the guy hunting the biggest man on the floor.
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Why He Won't Change
People will always tell Ja to "play safer" or "grow his game" to rely less on his athleticism. But his ja morant height and weight are the very things that define his greatness. You can't ask a bird to stop flying because it's dangerous.
The Grizzlies have embraced this. They haven't forced him into a 200-pound frame. They’ve leaned into his lean, wiry strength. They’ve focused on his "functional" power—the kind that lets him explode off a dead stop—rather than "beach muscle" that just looks good in photos.
Maximizing the Frame: Insights for the Future
If you're an aspiring player or just a fan trying to understand the "Ja Blueprint," it’s about efficiency. He doesn't waste energy. Every pound of that 174-pound body is dedicated to one of three things: speed, leap, or touch.
To stay at the top of the league, the focus for Ja moving forward isn't the scale—it's the recovery.
- Pliability over bulk: Staying flexible to handle those awkward landings.
- Core stability: Using that light weight to maintain balance in mid-air.
- Contact management: Knowing when to go for the poster and when to use the 6'7" reach for a finger roll.
The numbers—6'2" and 174—are just the baseline. What he does with those numbers is what makes him a perennial All-Star. He’s proof that in a league of giants, being the fastest, leanest, and most fearless person in the room is a perfectly valid way to dominate.
Watching his career progress, the real "stat" to watch isn't his weight, but his minutes. If he can maintain that 174-pound frame while building the endurance to play 75+ games a year, there’s no ceiling on what he can do. He’s already redefined what a "small" guard can be in the modern era. Now, it’s just about how long he can keep defying the laws of gravity.
To truly understand his impact, keep an eye on his landing mechanics during games. Notice how he rarely lands on one stiff leg anymore; he's learned to roll or dissipate the energy. This technical shift is more important for his longevity than any 10-pound muscle gain ever would be. Focusing on these biomechanical adjustments is the next logical step in his evolution as an elite athlete.