From gravity-defying dunks to the sly side-eyes shared after a big play, the NBA never lacks drama! But every once in a while, a night unfolds that becomes instant lore—a story passed from player to fan like an alley-oop in motion. Wednesday night’s showdown between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs was one such tale. The protagonist? Ja Morant. The foil? Victor Wembanyama. And the commentary? Courtesy of A’ja Wilson and Candace Parker, whose reactions brought the highlight reel to life.

Candace Parker took to Instagram to immortalize the moment, her excitement as palpable as a buzzer-beater. Sharing a clip of Ja Morant’s unreal one-handed slam over Wembanyama—a dunk disallowed by the referee’s whistle—she captioned it: “OH MY JA!”,  Parker would later double down with another caption: “Yo Ja… I’m so glad u decided to dunk again,” followed by a bunch of emojis. And then, “OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG”

The energy wasn’t lost on A’ja Wilson either, who joined in with her own Instagram story. She echoed Parker’s sentiments, posting the same caption before tagging Ja Morant with a playful jab: “@jamorant relax!!”

And the insane video in question?

Their reactions mirrored the awe of fans watching Morant defy gravity and conventional wisdom in real-time. But behind the playful social media exchanges lay a more significant story of competition and a thrilling game.

Ja’s Dominance, Wemby’s Struggles, and Wilson’s Playful Jab

Ja Morant was on fire  as he, dropped 21 points and dished out 12 assists in a commanding 129-115 win for the Grizzlies. From the jump, Memphis targeted the Spurs’ 7-foot-3 rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama. Morant opened the game with a one-handed fadeaway floater over the towering center and followed it up with the viral slam attempt that left fans buzzing despite being waved off.

Morant’s supporting cast chipped in mightily. Desmond Bane matched his 21 points, Santi Aldama added 20, and Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 19. Even rookie Zach Edey got in on the action, muscling past Wembanyama for a dunk and holding his own defensively.

Wembanyama’s stat line—13 points, 12 rebounds, and eight blocks—might suggest a solid outing, but the Spurs’ rookie struggled to contain Memphis in the second half. Despite his defensive heroics, including two blocks in the final seconds of the first quarter that led to a Grizzlies three-pointer, San Antonio was outscored 78-52 in the last two quarters.

This wasn’t the first time Wembanyama faced adversity, and it won’t be the last. With five games this season featuring eight or more blocks, his potential remains sky-high. However, performances like this show that even generational talents must adapt to the league’s intensity.

For Ja Morant, the night was a statement. After an uneven stretch for the Grizzlies, his electrifying performance was a reminder of his star power and leadership.

As the Grizzlies and Spurs prepare to face off again, on Jan 18 the basketball world is ready for the next chapter. Will the next time Morant takes flight be another highlight? Or perhaps Wembanyama will rise to the occasion. Either way, the basketball world will be watching—stories ready to be written, captions ready to go.