On Friday, Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant almost threw down an all-time dunk.
Almost being the key word.
In what is being compared to Vince Carter's iconic dunk over Frederic Weis in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Morant jumped over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love on a dunk attempt in which he took off from the dotted line. Fortunately for Love, Morant missed the dunk, but it was impressive enough for both the video and photo to go viral.
Ja ALMOST gave Kevin Love the Frederic Weis treatment 📸
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 21, 2019
cc: @mrvincecarter15 pic.twitter.com/4HzkRroF4p
It turns out, even Love was impressed by it.
"He legit jumped over me," Love said after the game. "It was just at the very end he clipped me with his leg. I was so glad he missed that dunk.
"I looked back and helped him up — it was like my tip to the hat to him. The kid is really special and you have to give credit where credit is due."
Love also took to Twitter, tweeting that Morant "almost ended my professional career."
Ja almost ended my professional career with this dunk...that kid is something special 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 https://t.co/5SxCItAMba
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) December 21, 2019
Love wouldn't have been the first player Morant has put on a poster this season. Earlier this month, Morant threw a massive dunk over Phoenix Suns centre Aron Baynes in what was only his second game coming back from injury.
Somewhere, Baynes is wondering why Morant couldn't have just missed that dunk as well.