Grizzlies’ Ja Morant gifts young fan gear after her autographed basketball was stolen
Morant scored 38 points in the 135-129 over the Spurs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An 11-year-old Memphis Grizzlies fan had an exciting evening, days after her autographed basketball was reportedly stolen.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant gifted Ellie Hughes a pair of his game-worn shoes and an autographed jersey following a 135-129 win over the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night.
Ja Morant, #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies, autographs his sneakers for a fan after the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 11, 2023, at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Hughes reportedly had her autographed basketball stolen Monday night during the Grizzlies' first game of a home-and-home series with San Antonio.
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The young girl had been collecting autographs of Grizzlies players on the basketball since she was five years old, according to Action News 5 in Memphis.
After hearing about the incident, Morant reached out to the family and invited Hughes to Wednesday’s game, which is when he showered her with gifts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It’s something I pretty much love to do," Morant said of his warm gesture. "You touch somebody’s heart like that. A big fan of the Grizzlies for years. It’s moments like that mean the most to them. Something they will never forget."
Ja Morant, #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies, grabs a rebound during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum on January 11, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
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Morant also put on a show for Hughes during the game, scoring 38 points on 14-25 shooting, adding San Antonio big man Jakob Poeltl to a poster in the process.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He was huge for us," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said of Morant. "When he gets to his spots, and he plays at that level, it’s really important to us."
Ja Morant, #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies, is interviewed after the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 11, 2023, at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Memphis improved to 28-13 with the win.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.