Grizzlies' Ja Morant stars in Beats By Dre ad with rapper Lil Baby
Evan BarnesJa Morant's star continues to rise as he's featured in a new Beats By Dre commercial that debuted Saturday ahead of Game 3 between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors.
The 90-second ad features Morant and Grammy-Award-winning rapper Lil Baby and is shot mostly in black-and-white. Lil Baby raps his new song "Dark Mode", which is an ode to Morant adopting "welcome to the dark" - the idea of working and improving away from public view - as his mantra during workouts last summer.
Lil Baby, who is Morant's favorite rapper, is also wearing a Vancouver Grizzlies throwback while Morant dribbles and models Beats By Dre's latest earbuds. The ad resembles Reebok's 2000s-era commercials that featured rapper Jadakiss and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, who has frequently praised Morant.
Morant was introduced as a Beats By Dre ambassador on April 26. It's the latest sign of his growing stardom after doing commercials for Nike, BODYARMOR and Hyperice. He was also featured in a 30-second ad for the digital release of the film "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
It's the most endorsements that a Grizzlies player has ever received. As Morant became an All-Star in his third season while winning Most Improved Player, his off-court buzz is rising just as fast.
The NBA announced this week that Morant generated the most views on the league's social media platforms this postseason with 149.3 million views as of Thursday, well ahead of Stephen Curry in second place with 88 million views.
Morant garnered 44 million views just from his thunderous poster dunk on Malik Beasley in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He earned effusive praise on social media and NBA shows for his 47-point performance in Game 2 against the Warriors.
Ja Morant:Ja Morant's poster dunk against Malik Beasley was epic. But was it his best?
His jersey has been an NBA top-10 seller for the entire regular season, a first for a Memphis Grizzlies player. The NBA also announced in April that the Grizzlies are 10th among teams in merchandise sold from Jan 13-Apr. 10, another first in franchise history.
It all adds up to a rising superstar in Morant whose fame is reaching new heights as he continues to improve and the Grizzlies keep winning.
Want to stay informed on the latest Memphis sports news? A Commercial Appeal subscription gets you unlimited access to the best inside information and updates on local sports, and the ability to tap into sports news from throughout the USA TODAY Network's 109 local sites.
You can reach Evan Barnes on Twitter (@Evan_B) or by email at evan.barnes@commercialappeal.com