MANILA, Philippines — NBA superstar Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies rocked Manila in his first Philippine visit as part of his Asian Tour.
It’s also the first international tour ever for Morant and he made sure to include the basketball-crazed Philippines as the final stop in the “Make Them Watch” tour with Nike.
“Manila, thank you for being such a warm, welcoming, and loving place. Great Vibes! I’ll carry these memories with me forever,” beamed the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year Morant, who played with kids, celebrities and athletes at the Courtyard in BGC on Friday night.
Participants included PBA players CJ Cansino (Meralco), Jeron Teng (San Miguel) and Ricci Rivero (Phoenix), KBL standout Rhenz Abando from Anyang, La Salle’s Marga Jimenez as well as Gilas Pilipinas women’s team veteran Jack Animam.
Morant, a two-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA team member and Most Improved Player in 2022, also played with high school players and community ballers, treating them with his electrifying dunks and superb handles.
He also held a basketball clinic for young fans and had a dance-off at center court with them.
“It’s been good. Everybody has been very welcoming and loving to me and my family. Super excited to be here,” added Morant, who also shared an aerial shot on Instagram of a customized court in his homage at the Greenwoods Village in Cainta to welcome him.
Morant’s “Make Them Watch” tour started in Augusta, Georgia for the Nike Peach Jam, the brand’s premier Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Tournament, before trooping to New York, China, Japan then the Philippines.
The 6-foot-2 ace, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on Aug. 10, and the Grizzlies absorbed a first-round exit at the hands of eventual NBA champion OKC Thunder last summer due to his hip injury before fully recovering in time for his Nike tour.