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The explosiveness, finesse and feel that turned Ja Morant into an elite paint presence

HOW DOES A 6-foot-2 point guard whose self-described weight is "175 soaking wet" rank right up there with the NBA's best big men in paint scoring?

"Because motherf---ers can't stay in front of me," Ja Morant told ESPN aftering pondering the question for about as long as it takes him to get from the 3-point line to the rim with a clear lane.

Morant laughs, but there is truth to his jest. The Memphis Grizzlies' 23-year-old superstar became the first guard to lead the league in points in the paint in at least 25 years last season, doing so with a repertoire of moves to get around, under and sometimes over even the tallest defenders in the league.