A rookie's heartwarming act of kindness during an ice storm offers a surprising, intimate glimpse into Ja Morant's true character beyond the headlines.
At a time when much of the conversation around Ja Morant centers on injuries and uncertainty, a rookie teammate offered a far more personal snapshot of the Memphis Grizzlies star.
In a recent interview with HoopsHype during All-Star Weekend, Cedric Coward described a moment that, in his view, captures who Ja Morant really is away from headlines and speculation.
“What people portray him to be is not what he is,” Coward told HoopsHype.
Coward then shared a specific example from earlier this season, when winter weather disrupted daily life in Memphis.
“When we had the ice storm, he offered to buy my groceries,” Coward told HoopsHype. “Just little things like that he doesn’t have to do, but he does out of the kindness of his own heart and just taking care of people, just because that’s who he is.”
The anecdote comes amid another setback for Morant. The Grizzlies announced that the two-time All-Star is expected to miss at least the next three weeks after suffering a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow during a 124-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.
Morant has appeared in just 20 games this season, averaging 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds. Memphis is 7-13 in games he has played and 13-20 without him, sitting at 20-33 coming out of the All-Star break and 11th in the Western Conference.
His most recent performance came Jan. 21 against Atlanta, when he recorded 23 points and 12 assists in a double-double effort.
Public discourse around Morant this year has largely focused on availability, performance fluctuations and trade speculation. Inside the locker room, Coward described something far more ordinary — and, in some ways, more telling.
“Ja is one of the best people I’ve ever met,” Coward told HoopsHype. “One of the best people to be around. He’s the same way, goofy — we quote movies all the time. I mean, he’s always cracking jokes.”
Coward said the two frequently reference films like Friday, Paid in Full and Juice, reinforcing a camaraderie that extends beyond the court. He even added that Morant is someone he would “bring to my cookout,” a comment that underscored trust rather than performance.
For Coward, whose own rookie season has included 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists across 48 games while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, the gesture during the ice storm represented more than generosity. It signaled leadership expressed in small, private ways.
Morant’s on-court impact remains central to Memphis’ playoff hopes. But as the Grizzlies navigate a 20-33 season defined by injuries and change, Coward’s account to HoopsHype offers a counterbalance to the broader narrative.
While headlines track wins, losses and timetables, moments like that ice storm interaction rarely surface publicly. For one young teammate, however, it appears those are the moments that resonate most.