“Holy cow! Have you ever in your life seen anything like that?” The announcers went ballistic when Ja Morant pulled off an insane 360 layup during last night’s Nets game. Well, it’s a very rare feat that requires outrageous athleticism and body control, which makes it even more impressive that Ja did it not once, but twice in a span of a few minutes. Sure enough, the internet was hyped including Lakers legend Magic Johnson, and the Grizzlies star could not hide his emotions when his acrobatic plays set a new NBA record.

The clips of Ja’s two remarkable circus shots have amassed over 161 million views across NBA social media, making each play the most-watched video on the league’s various platforms this season—and the views continue to climb. In response to this unique achievement, Ja shared his reaction on X with a simple yet telling crying face emoji.

Even Magic Johnson marveled at the incredible feat with a tweet, saying, “Wow – I’ve never seen anyone make two 360 layups like that in the same game!”

Ja Morant is no stranger to lighting up the internet with his highlight-reel plays. From posterizing 7’4″ Victor Wembanyama to blocking shots so high that he hits his head on the backboard, Ja has done it all. But this latest viral moment might feel especially meaningful, as it marks his first since returning from a season-ending injury. After missing the first 25 games of last season due to a suspension for displaying a firearm on social media, Ja faced another setback with a labral tear in his shoulder, which prematurely ended his season. The Grizzlies struggled in his absence, ultimately finishing 13th in the Western Conference. However, Ja’s viral highlight is a clear sign: he’s back, and fans are thrilled to see him in action once again.

Ja Morant is ready to lead the Grizzlies to success

Well, Morant is gradually working his way back into playing like an All-Star. Yes, he is averaging fewer than his usual minutes so far. And his scoring average has also dropped to 20.7 points. However, it is still early in the season and Ja’s usage rate will increase as the year progresses. More importantly, despite his reduced minutes, the Grizzlies have won four of their eight games and are doing much better than last season.

Moreover, Ja has high hopes from his squad this year, “Honestly feel like, this is one of the best rosters we had on paper depth-wise. Now being able to see the guys and go out and you know when we playing and stuff gives me even more confidence. I feel like we’re pretty much loaded in every position and it’s going to be interesting to see how it all pans out.” Apart from the multiple returning superstars, the Grizzlies also have new talent like Zach Edey, making them a much deeper squad.

And the revamped team has been showing great chemistry so far. Hopefully, they will continue to build on this momentum and return to playoff contention. As far as Ja goes, he will continue mesmerizing the crowd like he always does.