How NBA Star Ja Morant's Trip to China Changed His Mindset

What Ja Morant Did That Changed His Perspective

In the article, Morant is described as walking off the court when, instead of exiting quietly, he turned and looked to the massive crowd of Chinese fans and players. "He bowed to the crowd and made a heart with his hands. As Morant did so, the entire audience made the same gesture back," described Hill.

One of Morant's trainers, Trey Daper, said, "Forget the language barrier. Everyone knew what that meant.”

Morant's uncle, Phil Morant, also noted the importance of that moment. "Now, he understands how influential he is, not only where he’s from, but internationally. That right there, man; that, for me, was really rewarding," he said.

Why It's Time for 12 To Really Step Up

Morant has been known to step up as a leader, but it is slightly different this time. He's a bit older at age 26, and he is starting to enter the prime of his NBA career. Bane is gone, and Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. are both out to start the season.

With Morant essentially the last remaining available star for the Grizzlies, it'll be up to him to show the young guys how to play winning basketball. He'll need to stay locked in and influence the team in a positive direction.

Luckily, both Edey and Jackson Jr. will return after four to six weeks and six to nine weeks, respectively, so Morant doesn't have to wait too long.

The Grizzlies have a team that can compete, but in a bloodbath that is the current Western Conference -- leadership is needed on this Grizzlies roster.

Morant has proved he's that guy on the court. Now he needs to prove he can do it in the locker room and off the court as well.