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          Ja Morant's game winner caught the eye of LeBron, Draymond, more

          • Brianna Williams, ESPNDec 20, 2023, 04:43 AM

          After serving a 25-game suspension, Ja Morant made his season debut against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

          If his game-winning buzzer-beater is any indication, the Memphis Grizzlies star is quite comfortable being back on the hardwood.

          The Grizzlies went 6-19 without Morant, and are 1-0 with him after their 115-113 victory.

          "I'm a dog. I been putting work in, man. I ain't play a game in eight months. I had a lot of time to learn myself, a lot of hard days where I went through it, but basketball is my life and what I love and I'm excited to be back," he said after the win.

          Memphis led 25-21 in the first quarter, but New Orleans responded by outscoring the Grizzlies 39-16 in the second quarter. The 24-point margin was the Pelicans' largest lead of the season, though it was short-lived as Morant scored or assisted on 22 of the Grizzlies' 36 points in the third quarter.

          He continued to show up clutch with three go-ahead field goals in the last 90 seconds of the game -- tied with Luka Doncic for the most by any player in a game in the past 25 years.

          Morant capped off his 35-point, 8-assist and 6-rebound performance with the first game-winning buzzer-beater of his career.

          "I called 12. I really didn't want Coach to call the timeout. I told him that [was] the play I wanted to run right there. They believe in me. ... I had to deliver for them," he said of the winning play.

          Before exiting the court, Morant had an encounter with Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, with Morant signing his game-worn jersey and giving it to the LSU Tigers quarterback.

          Morant offered Daniels a few words of wisdom that sparked a positive reaction from the Heisman winner.

          "He told me, 'Keep going, killer.' Game respects game," Daniels told Andscape's Marc J. Spears.

          LeBron James, Draymond Green and Tyrese Maxey were among Morant's NBA peers who welcomed him back.