"That boy a cyborg; I built the machine; I can’t control it" - Ja Morant's dad Tee in awe of son’s performances this season

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies went from a breakout star to a superstar in just his third season in the league. Morant's toughest critic is none other than his father, Tee, who stopped coaching his son the moment he became an NBA player in 2019.

In a recent piece by The Washington Post, Tee Morant said that he still gives pointers to his son on how to become a better player, but has stopped coaching him. Despite being around his son all his life, the proud father is still surprised at the things Morant does on the court, particularly his performances this season.

"I'm still hard on him. My thing was to continue to study the game and realize what we have to do to take it to another level. Right now, I'm a little bit befuddled. He's playing out of his mind, for real. He's so disrespectful. That boy a cyborg. I built the machine. I can’t control it," the senior Morant said.

Ja Morant's first-ever coach was his father Tee, who is a former high school teammate of Ray Allen. Tee was hard on Ja during the early days, but it shaped the latter's future. The 2019 Rookie of the Year is one of the best young players in the league today, fearing no one.

Morant is averaging 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season. He has entered the MVP conversation. Morant has led the Memphis Grizzlies to the third-best record in the league (41-19) heading into the NBA All-Star break, where Morant was voted as a starter.

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Ja Morant arrives at the All-Star weekend in style

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant will represent the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland. Morant was voted in as a starter, and was drafted by Team Kevin Durant. The 22-year-old, his family and entourage took a private jet to Ohio for the festivities.

Morant went live on his Instagram account, where he drank booze, danced to some music and showed off his hard-earned cash. The young superstar was clearly enjoying the short break, and looks ready for his All-Star debut. There's a real possibility Morant could win the game's MVP honors.

Ja Morant and the Grizzlies have a few more days off after the All-Star Weekend. Their first game after the event is on February 24 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road.

It'll be interesting to see if the Grizzlies can take it to another level and possibly overtake the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies are just 1.5 games behind the Warriors, a team they could face in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

In the meantime, the Grizzlies are well-represented at the All-Star Weekend. Desmond Bane will play in the Rising Stars Challenge, and participate in the 3-Point Contest.