With a name like Temetrius Jamel “Ja” Morant, you’re destined for greatness.

Recently crowned the league’s Most Improved Player (to some consternation, might I add), Memphis’ messiah is turning defenses inside out at will. In just his second year in the playoffs, Morant is outduelling the league’s former unanimous MVP Stephen Curry and his merry band of championship-calibre teammates, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. In other words, the core of the record-breaking 73-win team in an 82-game regular season.

Whether the Memphis Grizzlies can make it past the battle-hardened Golden State Warriors in the playoffs remains to be seen, but Morant’s meteoric rise comes at a crossroads for the NBA.

At a scarcely-believable 37 years of age, LeBron James is approaching the twilight of his career, though few know when he will ride off into that purple and gold Los Angeles sunset. In James’ absence, the league will be left without a face of the franchise.

Enter Ja Morant.

The argument for the Grizzlies superstar to be the face of the NBA in years to come is embryonic, especially considering the slew of young stars in the league at present. The likes of Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and LaMelo Ball all have the requisite skill to be in the argument.

Morant, though, is built different; a 6-foot-3 freight train who gets to the paint and dunks on his opponents with the wrath of seven hells. He blows by you in transition, and unless you have a premonition of where he’s going, he’s gone. He’s the devil; he’s smoke. Temetrius Jamel Morant is a guaranteed highlight reel.

However, being exceptional at your day job isn’t the only prerequisite to ascend to the NBA’s Iron Throne.

It takes a certain edge. A cult of personality. It’s being brash, yet marketable. It’s giving hope to the masses who religiously make it to the games in Tennessee, yet reminding rival fans that Memphis’ FedExForum is Jurassic Park and you’re Morantasaurus Rex.

It’s popping off WWE-esque quotes like: “There ain’t no running in the M (Memphis), man. We climb up the chimney. We ain’t ducking no smoke. We’re going to let everybody know we’re here. We’re going to play hard. We’re trying to get a win and if you don’t like it? Oh well.”

It’s generating the most views on the NBA’s social media platforms during the playoffs (149.3 million up to Game 2 of Memphis’ series against Golden State). Morant’s dunk on Malik Beasley in round one alone generated 44 million views.

Boil Ja Morant’s nascent NBA career down to a sticky liquor and it houses these ingredients – unabashed showmanship, the ability to elicit hope in a small-market team, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it dunks every quarter, jaw-dropping athleticism, and an ice-cold winner’s mentality. All this at 22 years of age.

With the wings of Icarus, Morant will continue to drop “Ja-breaking” dunks for the foreseeable future.

Unlike Icarus, though, Morant isn’t flying too close to the sun, but his star burns just as bright.