Is Ja Morant's 3rd grade photo real or fake? Exploring the truth behind the viral picture showing a complete transformation 

Right now, Ja Morant is in the midst of a neck-and-neck series with the LA Lakers. However, the Memphis Grizzlies star has gone viral on social media for something else.

In the digital age, photos of famous people from when they were younger are constantly popping up. This has happened to the All-Star point guard, but something about it doesn't seem right. Many fans have chimed in on what is being said is a photo of Ja Morant from when he was in the third grade.

Photos from Morant's younger years have emerged on social media before, and none look anything like this. Seeing that he is extremely thin for his profession, it seems unlikely that he went through this type of transformation throughout his childhood.

Is this photo of Ja Morant real?

From first glance, it's pretty clear that this isn't an actual photo of Ja Morant. It was likely generated by AI to get people spiraling on social media. It's also worth noting that the account that posted it is known for trolling.

Right now, the tweet has been seen by nearly 370,000 people on Twitter, and none of them believe it's real. On top of that, people have commented with photos of Morant that look much more like the NBA star when he was younger.

The meme account was trying to pull a fast one, but very few people have taken the bait. While it is possible he was heavier as a child, the photo does not look natural in the slightest.

Morant himself has not reacted to this viral tweet as he has more important matters at hand. On Friday, he and the Memphis Grizzlies will take to the court in LA with a chance to push LeBron James and the Lakers to seven games.

The Grizzlies are coming off a big win in Game 5, in large part because of Morant. He delivered for his team with their season on the line, nearly posting a triple-double in the win. Morant posted a stat line of 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the victory.

Seeing that this photo is clearly fake, it's unlikely we'll ever see Morant bother to discuss it.