Ja Morant gave a hilarious welcome to new teammate Zach Eddy on the Grizzlies.
Shortly after the Grizzlies selected the Purdue University product with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday, the Memphis star guard shared his own reaction in the form of a film clip from “Rush Hour 3,” in which Chris Tucker’s character meets the Kung Fu Giant.
In a video shared to Morant’s Instagram Story, Tucker can be seen running into 7-foot-9 former basketball player Sun Min-Min and exclaiming, “Whoa!”
Eddie is 7 feet 4 inches tall, while Morant is 6 feet 2 inches tall.
Eddie’s selection came as a surprise to some, Being criticized by others Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman praised the team’s new additions and their physical strength.
“We have some issues right now size-wise, strength-wise that other teams have to deal with. We want to come out with an offensive advantage and just make them think about how to handle us,” Kleiman said after Wednesday’s first round.
The 22-year-old will add some serious size to the Grizzlies roster and form a formidable frontcourt alongside 6-foot-10 power forward Jared Jackson Jr.
The game against UConn. Michael Chou/The Republic/USA Today Network
Despite concerns about Eddie’s defensive ability and agility, his ability to dominate the paint makes him a valuable addition to the team.
He averaged 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds during his senior season and played in the national championship game.
The Boilermarks lost to the University of Connecticut Huskies 75-60 in the national title game.
For Eddie, joining the Grizzlies is a “dream come true.”
“Memphis has a great core and I am really looking forward to being there,” he said in a statement issued by Purdue.
Morant, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, returned from a suspension for showing off a firearm on Instagram Live but was limited to nine games this season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in January.
The Grizzlies finished the season with a 27-55 record.
