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Ja Morant is the latest NBA superstar to unveil his signature Nike logo in advance of his sneakers. Fans quickly notice the resemblance of his logo to the well-known Nike logo of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
Complex Sneakers posted the logo of the Memphis Grizzlies star on Twitter. Looking at it, it shows the letter "J" and half the letter "M," to refence the first letters in his first and last names. However, the design looks eerily familiar as it's shaped to the design of the Black Mamba logo. The only difference is that it's inverted.
Fans didn't hold back in pointing out the similarity, with many were pointing out that it's a rip-off of Bryant's Black Mamba logo.
Fans may be right in seeing the Kobe Bryant logo in Morant's logo. While it's still early, Nike could pull it out and try to redesign it. This way, there won't be a ton of backlash from fans. But it's also unclear if Morant and his team are trying to honor the late LA Lakers great by designing their logo to look like Bryant's.
Can Ja Morant win the MVP award this season?
Ja Morant was the favorite to win the MVP award for his stellar start. He was able to sustain a high-level of play in his first six games, before missing one game. Morant has still been incredible this season. He's not averaging 30 points anymore, but his play has been great.
The 6-foot-3 highflyer is averaging 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists while also shooting 45.3%, including 33.9% from 3-point range. These numbers could help him win the Michael Jordan Trophy. Additionally, the Grizzlies (19-10) are the current leader in the Western Conference, increasing Morant's chances of winning the award.
However, there have been other players who have done a spectacular job this season. Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have all had great seasons. In the NBA's latest KIA MVP Ladder, those three players top off the list. Plus, their teams have been consistent throughout the season.
Morant has a chance to win the award, but it would take a lot for him to do so. ESPN's Kendrick Perkins picked the Grizzlies star to win the MVP at the start of the season, and he's not alone. Stephen A. Smith believes that the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year could win the award.
"Ja's worthy," Smith said. "Ja's fantastic, OK? That's why I keep encouraging Memphis that you wanna give the ultimate compliment to Ja Morant? Take down them Elvis (Presley) posters. Put them up of Ja, in Memphis!"
