Dayton coach James Kane recalls how Doritos made him accidentally spot Ja Morant: “Just a few minutes of watching him, you just knew he was special”

Before becoming an assistant coach at Dayton, James Kane held that same position at Murray State. He played a crucial role in the Racers' success from 2011 to 2017, including the recruitment of Ja Morant. ESPN's Instagram page posted on Thursday a short clip of E:60's profile of Morant ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft, where Kane recalled his chance encounter with the basketball talent.

James Kane and Ja Morant's paths crossed when they both attended a two-day tournament. Morant, who was entering his senior year in high school, went there for a chance to get noticed by college teams, but he didn't make the final roster.

Kane made the trip to recruit one of the players in the main gym, but he suddenly got hungry and went to a concession stand. That decision helped change the trajectory of Morant's basketball career.

“I ordered some Doritos and a soda. I was able to hear the balls bouncing in the auxiliary gym,” James Kane said.

“Just a few minutes of watching Ja; you just knew he was special. I called my boss right away and said, ‘You got to come up here and see this kid.’”

The rest, as they say, is history. With the help of James Kane, Murray State offered Ja Morant a full scholarship the following day. He rewarded the team's faith in him, leading the Racers to a spot in the 2019 NCAA Tournament before his move to the NBA.

Morant made history in the first round, becoming the eighth player to record a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament. He scored 17 points, dished out 16 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds in Murray State's 83-64 win over Marquette. Murray State lost in the following round to Florida State, ending Morant's college basketball career.

Morant has flourished in the NBA as well, cementing his status as one of the league's top stars playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. He is one of the main reasons the Grizzlies have started the 2024-25 season with a 36-18 record, averaging 20.7 points, 7.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

James Kane's Dayton looking to reach NCAA Tournament for second straight year

James Kane left Murray State in 2017 and has been working as an assistant coach at Dayton since 2021. He helped the Flyers reach the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the first time they have qualified for that basketball event since 2017.

The Flyers' bid to make it back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances remains to be seen as they have a 17-8 overall record and are ranked third in the Atlantic 10 Conference standings, trailing George Mason and VCU.

Dayton Flyers guard Malachi Smith (11) attacks the defense of Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (2) in the second half at Lahaina Civic Center. Photo: Imagn

They have won three of their last four games, including a 93-76 victory over the Fordham Rams on Wednesday night. Five players scored in double figures for the Flyers, who improved to 7-5 in conference play.

Malachi Smith led the team in scoring with 18 points. He shot 7-for-11 from the field, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He also had five assists and three steals in 24 minutes of action.