NBA ALL-STAR MEDIA DAY

February 18, 2023

Ja Morant

Media Day Press Conference

JA MORANT: Pretty much just listen to music. That's my pregame routine. Just ease my mind.

Q. Favorite players in the Dunk Contest all time, past, present?

JA MORANT: LeBron -- how much people I get to name?

Q. Four.

JA MORANT: LeBron, Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon, Dominique Wilkins.

Q. What city needs an NBA team?

JA MORANT: Vegas.

Q. What would you name it?

JA MORANT: Name it after me (chuckling).

Q. In Brazil you have a bunch of fans there. They call you Ja Morango because your last name rhymes with the word for "strawberry."

JA MORANT: My last name rhymes with strawberry?

Q. Can you send a message to your Brazilian fans?

JA MORANT: Appreciate the love and support. All love from me.

Q. Top three ideal halftime performances?

JA MORANT: I've got to pick somebody?

Q. Who would you like to see?

JA MORANT: Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Beyonce.

Q. What's your earliest memory of hip hop?

JA MORANT: My earliest memory? You want me to say? Ooh, I don't know. I've got so much hits in the catalog. I don't even know. Probably "Can We Talk."

Q. Top three rappers?

JA MORANT: YoungBoy, Lil Baby and Moneybagg.

Q. (On when he knew teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. would be an All-Star.)

JA MORANT: From the jump. Obviously once I got drafted, I had to do my research. Shout out to my dog over there. He got his media over there. I knew he would be here.

Q. (No microphone.)

JA MORANT: I'm a lot, so basically pretty much just doing courts, giveaways, school supplies, shopping. It's a lot. Obviously, I wish I could do more, but with the time I have, it's kind of limited.

I pretty much always want to be there when I do it, and obviously with travel and the NBA schedule, it's tough, so that's pretty much about it.

Q. Who would you add to your team from the WNBA to make a super team?

JA MORANT: Just give me the Aces right now and I'm good. For sure. I'm an Aces fan.