Prior to tonight's game on the road against the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant would earn some high praise from Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal during the NBA on TNT pregame show.

Morant, so long scoring average remains the same for the remainder of the season, would join Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Shaquille O'Neal in the top five scoring averages of players in their age 22 season. He most recently dropped 46 and 52 points in games against the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, earning the respect of one of the most dominant forces in NBA history.

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“Ja Morant is a guy that wants it all. He wants all the smoke. He wants all the praise. He wants all the pressure, and he wants this to be his league.” O'Neal would say. “I saw something the other day that said in five years it's going to be Ja Morant and Luka Dončić's league. I believe that statement. He's playing at a high level. He's great. He's got the city behind him, he's got his teammates behind him, and there's nothing better than having a young superstar that knows he's great.”

Ja Morant and the Grizzlies currently sit at 43-20 heading into tonight's matchup, which is good for third in the NBA's Western Conference behind the Phoenix Suns (50-12) and the Golden State Warriors (43-19). Morant himself sits within the top ten of both total points with 1,351 and points per game with 27.6, leading some, much like Shaquille O'Neal, to add him to the MVP conversation.