Ja Morant: If I'm Ever In The Dunk Contest, I'm Taking My Son Ja Raffe & Jumping Over Him

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant learned this week that the Memphis Zoo was bestowing upon him the great honor of having a baby giraffe named after him. The zoo announced the giraffe will go by the name 'Ja Raffe.' That's quite the honor. As you guys know, because you've named your kids after athletes, it's nothing these days to run into a kid named Teebo who's 10. Baby LeBrons have had their run. But how many athletes have had giraffes named after them? These days it seems like a higher honor.

"Parents Niklas and Angela Kate welcomed a baby boy on November 10th. To celebrate Ja Morant winning NBA Rookie of the year, Memphis Zoo will name the calf Ja Raffe," the zoo said in a statement. "This addition brings the Memphis Zoo herd up to seven giraffes."

"This birth is also exciting because it will be the first time the calf’s sister, 18- month-old Ally will be meeting a new baby. If you see the calf on exhibit, he will most likely be resting or you will see him coming and going from the barn."

Friday, Ja Morant got to meet Ja Raffe to see what's going on with his baby boy. “If I ever do the dunk contest, I’m taking my son with me. Imma jump over him,” Morant said of the Ja Raffe who will grow to 16-20 feet tall.

Seems a little ambitious, but it's nice to hear a father wanting to include his son in weekend work activities.


















Figured you guys would want to see a graph showing babies named LeBron by year:


Written by
Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America. Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league. Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.