He shouldn’t be able to do that. Seriously. A 6-foot-2 point guard—even with the 6-foot-3 "in shoes" generous listing—shouldn't be able to look a 7-foot center in the eyes while hovering three feet above the hardwood. But when you talk about a Ja Morant poster dunk, logic kinda just leaves the building.
It’s the "hang time" for me.
Most guys jump, reach the apex, and come right back down. Ja seems to have a secondary thruster that kicks in midway through the flight path. It’s a mix of terrifying athleticism and a complete lack of regard for his own skeletal structure. He doesn’t just dunk; he detonates. If you've ever seen him load up that right-left plant, you know exactly what’s coming, and yet, the poor souls standing in the restricted area never seem to learn.
The Night Jalen Smith Became a Memory
January 14, 2023. Mark it down. If you’re a Pacers fan, maybe don’t.
Memphis was in Indy, and the game was already leaning toward a blowout, but then Ja decided to end a man's career for no reason other than he could. He caught the ball on the wing, took one hard dribble to his left, and then—boom. Jalen Smith, a 6-foot-10 big man with decent shot-blocking instincts, made the mistake of thinking he had a chance.
Smith didn't just get dunked on. He got erased. Ja cocked that ball back so far it was practically in the third row behind him before slamming it down. The bench went insane. The internet broke. Even Kevin Garnett was on Twitter saying Ja’s highlights are gonna be up there with the greatest ever when it’s all said and done.
What made that specific Ja Morant poster dunk so legendary wasn't just the height. It was the "disrespect." Morant actually tweeted later that night: "jump with me if you want to go viral." Ice cold.
👉 See also: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Honestly, he’s not lying. If you’re a big man in the NBA today, being on a Ja Morant poster is basically a rite of passage. Jakob Poeltl has been on two of them. Robin Lopez got put in a blender. Even Victor Wembanyama—the 7-foot-4 alien himself—wasn't safe. In early 2025, Ja caught Wemby after a whistle and threw down a "destructive" slam that, while it didn't count on the scoreboard, definitely counted in the minds of everyone in that arena.
The Science of the "Bounce"
How does a guy this size generate that much force?
It’s actually kinda fascinating from a biomechanics perspective. Most of us just see "fast guy jump high," but sports scientists look at his penultimate step. That’s the second-to-last step before take-off. Ja’s is incredibly long and fast, which allows him to convert all that horizontal speed into vertical lift.
He uses a "double leg" technique mostly. He plants both feet, but it’s so fast it almost looks like he’s jumping off one. This creates a "block step" that stops his forward momentum and sends him straight up. Plus, he’s got those fast-twitch muscle fibers that most of us would kill for.
- Vertical Leap: Reports put his max vertical at about 44 inches.
- The Tire Drill: His dad, Tee Morant, used to make him jump over tractor tires after every workout.
- Hang Time: Because he jumps so high, he stays in the air longer (physics 101), giving him time to adjust the ball around defenders' hands.
It’s not just "natural talent," though that’s obviously a huge part of it. It’s the mechanics. He’s like a spring that’s been compressed for 20 years and finally let go.
Why the Malik Beasley Dunk Hit Different
If the Jalen Smith dunk was the most "aesthetic," the one on Malik Beasley was the most important.
✨ Don't miss: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
Playoffs. Game 5. 2022.
The Grizzlies were down by 13 in the third quarter against the Timberwolves. The energy in FedExForum was... let's just say it was tense. Then Ja got the ball at the top of the key. He blew past his man, saw Beasley rotate over, and just ascended.
It was a full-extension, one-handed tomahawk.
The sound the crowd made wasn't a cheer; it was a collective "OH!" that you could feel through the TV screen. It completely flipped the momentum of that series. Memphis came back to win that game and eventually the series. That's the power of a Ja Morant poster dunk. It’s more than two points. It’s a psychological reset for the entire building.
The Fear Factor (Or Lack Thereof)
The weirdest thing about Ja is that he doesn't seem to care about falling.
He lands awkwardly all the time. He crashes into stanchions. He flies into the front row. Most players his size start to business-decide their way out of those collisions after a few years. They want to protect their knees. They want a long career.
🔗 Read more: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
Ja? He’s still hunting.
There’s a reason he was rumored to be recruiting Giannis, Aaron Gordon, and Zach LaVine for a "super" Dunk Contest in 2026. He wants the smoke. He wants the biggest stage. Whether he’s dunking on a 7-footer in the regular season or floating through the air in the playoffs, the mentality remains the same: Twelve is coming for your head.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’re trying to truly understand the Ja Morant experience, don’t just watch the highlights. Watch the "almost" dunks.
He tried to jump over Kevin Love once. Like, literally over him. He didn't make it, but the fact that he even thought it was a viable option tells you everything you need to know about his brain.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Watch the Feet: Next time you see him drive, watch that right-left plant. It’s the secret to the power.
- Check the Reaction: Don’t just watch the dunk; watch the opposing bench. Even the other team usually has to hide their faces because they know they just witnessed a crime.
- Appreciate the Size: Remember he is smaller than the average person you see at a grocery store. Okay, maybe not that small, but in NBA terms, he's a "little guy."
The next time Ja Morant gets a clear lane to the rim, don't blink. You might miss the best thing that happens in the league that year. Whether it's a playoff clincher or a random Tuesday night in January, he's always one jump away from immortality.
To get the most out of these highlights, focus on the slow-motion replays from the baseline angle. You’ll see exactly how far back he cocks the ball and how long he actually hovers before the rim-rattling finish. If you want to replicate that power, look into plyometric training specifically focusing on the penultimate step—though maybe skip the tractor tires unless you’ve got a professional trainer standing by.