Ja Morant has hailed “all the love” from fans in China as he spent time there as part of a tour of a number of countries during the NBA offseason.
Memphis Grizzlies star Morant is becoming one of the most recognisable faces in the NBA. The second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, Morant has put in some top performances on the court, and has had off-field issues which may have raised his profile in the wrong way.
But Morant is looking to reach a new audience, and has gone on a tour with a view to reaching new fans in differing areas of the globe.
Nike described his movements in June: ‘From New York, Ja will travel to China, where he’ll host clinics and training opportunities for local hoopers and future stars in Mission Rise 2025, a program to give talented youth a shot to become the next world-class players.
‘He’ll then continue to Tokyo to connect with local athletes and fans while building a deeper connection with Japanese culture. The Make Them Watch Tour will conclude in Manila, where Ja will continue to lift up the next generation, create new experiences for athletes, learn about local culture and grow the game.
‘He’ll invite local high school players to watch his workout and inspire Filipino hoopers of all levels at a Make Them Watch exhibition game while in Manila.’
Morant has completed the tour, and has hailed the support he saw in China.
“It’s different. I’ve been in the league a while. I’ve played in front of many fans. But the difference is that back home, I only see a couple. You know, you see the signs in the stand that say I traveled this many miles to come and see you playing, and finally, the roles flipped,” he said.
“I travel the miles to come out here and just to see all the love, where you have people standing outside the hotel, people standing outside whatever spot I got to go to, or even in the Rise gym, where you had 500 to 600 fans just in there, just screaming and showing a lot of energy.”
Morant seems to have clearly enjoyed the tour, and it has shown he has fans in a lot of areas, and he’ll hope those numbers are rising after his efforts to build a wider audience for his personal brand.
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