Ja Morant's brand could grow like the one from LeBron James in Cleveland, marketing experts say
Ja Morant could become a new cultural icon, according to marketing experts.
© Joe Rondone-USA TODAY Sports
It was unbelievable that it only took Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant three seasons to become a bona fide NBA superstar. And to say that he’s a cut above the rest would be an understatement as there have been several proofs that suggest “G12” is more than just an exceptional basketball player.
The year of Ja
This season, specifically during the week of Jan. 9-15, Morant became a massive hit on Google trends as reports say that his numbers jolted from 38% the week before to 100% in Google user search stats.
It’s not hard to believe as Morant logged a host of highlight-worthy plays throughout the 2021-22 season, including his then viral chase-down block on Los Angeles Lakers’ Avery Bradley.
But what is the true relevance of these numbers to Morant’s career and the Grizzlies as a small market team? Of course, we may have different assumptions, but we could be looking at a new cultural icon, according to marketing experts.
A cultural icon is coming
Alex Hanono, a high-up at The Marketing Arm, an international marketing agency that has collaborated with corporate brands such as State Farm, Wendy’s, and Snickers, explained in layman’s terms what lies ahead of Morant based on the trajectory of his career.
Recommended Articles
Indeed, any NBA fan can clearly understand Hanono’s prediction as he likens Morant’s surge to that of LeBron James back in his Cleveland Cavaliers days.
“It could be one of those things similar to when LeBron [James] was in Cleveland, and the opportunities that came with the Cavaliers because of that,” Hanono told Commercial Appeal earlier this year. “Obviously that’s a long ways ahead, and a lot of winning and success, but if you want to take that long view at it, that’s probably something in Morant’s sights and in the team’s sights.”
Matt Balvanz, the senior vice president of analytics and innovation at Navigate, an entertainment and sports market research company, on the other hand, also reckoned that Morant is on course to catapulting the Grizzlies organization to the heights.
Balvanz added that the only “important thing” right now is that the Grizzlies continue to “trust” the youngster’s progress.
“That he’s that legitimate now is pretty cool,” Balvanz said of Morant. “He’s in a great position, a great path, and I think the next few seasons could really dictate where this goes for him.”
“The important thing is it has to be sustained for the corporate side to trust it and for the team value to settle in, to get the attendance, to get those season ticket renewals, to get the national audiences for NBA games,” he continued. “It builds and builds and builds.”
Whether you are a Morant fan or not, we can all agree that he has already entered the realm of superstardom. At this point, it is safe to say that the Grizzlies have their fingers crossed as it seems like nothing can derail Morant’s hype train.
