South Carolina native Teniya Morant wore the same numbered jersey as her brother's, NBA star Ja Morant when she played in high school. The young teen is friendly and determined to make her own name as a professional basketball player.
Ja Morant's younger sister, Teniya Morant, descends from a long line of athletes, including both her parents, her uncle, and her grandfather. Teniya watched her brother struggle in his early years in basketball, but their dad, Tee Morant, pushed him until he became NBA material.
Tee now trains Teniya, and the father of two is confident his daughter will succeed while staying true to herself. He described her as a young person who is unafraid to speak her mind or strike up a conversation with anyone.
Teniya is also determined to carve her own path as her "own person" alongside Ja. She doesn't mind being known as his little sister – people recognize her all the time as such – but she wants her own identity.
She sometimes trains with Ja, who has acknowledged his sister's dedication to honing her skills. The pair have a loving relationship, as Ja showed the world earlier this year on Valentine's Day, just a week before her birthday.
Ja Morant's Sister Is a Social Butterfly
Teniya, also known as Niya, drew her first breath in Dalzell, South Carolina, in February 2005. She was born to Tee and Jamie Morant, who, like her and Ja, were also former basketball players. Tee played for Claflin University and nearly made the sport a professional career.
However, after Jamie fell pregnant with Ja, he decided to put those dreams to rest and raise his family. His wife played point guard in high school but later transitioned to softball in college. Teniya's grandfather and uncle were both drafted into the MLB; however, it's unclear if they were paternal or maternal family members.
Teniya and her family moved from Dalzell to Mephis in 2019 following her brother's draft. She transferred to another school and, subsequently, a new social scene. Her dad was confident she would fit in just fine, as he said:
"Teniya is a social butterfly. She'll make friends with anybody. If she sees somebody who is struggling or looks like they're lonely, Teniya will go up and speak."
Tee Morant continued expressing fatherly admiration for the "different type of person" he felt his daughter was. He knew she would stay true to herself because Teniya couldn't care less about public opinion.
Ja Morant's Sister Has the Same Coach He Did
Teniya underwent the same intense training Ja did in their homemade basketball court in their backyard, which included jumping on tractor tires and running through cone drills. However, unlike Ja, Tee said Teniya took his constructive criticism with more grace.
Currently attending Houston High School, her dad pulled her out of the institution's team in February this year, the same way he did with Ja. After noticing that the training techniques didn't do justice to his kids' abilities, Tee took it upon himself to train them. Teniya concurred with the decision, as she explained:
"I'm not going to lie, I was losing love for the game playing school ball. I felt like there was no hope in me with what was going on there."
She trusted that her family knew what was best for her and understood that she needed to put in the work to reach her desired level of success. As of that month, she still awaited her first offer, but Tee, Jamie, and Ja – also a father to a daughter with KK Dixon – had faith in Teniya, and she knew it.
Teniya Morant, Kaari Jaidyn Morant, and Ja Morant pose for a photo before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 13, 2022, at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee | Source: Getty Images
Ja Morant Gave His Sister a Huge Valentine's Day Gift
Ja surprised Teniya with a brand new white jeep, a car she'd be requesting from him for some time, as a Valentine's and early birthday gift in February this year. He shared her sweet reaction on Instagram. The Memphis Grizzlies star also became neighbors with his family, having acquired his own home this year.
As a result of Ja's fame, Teniya has also felt the effects of his spotlight. Her brother has a mural dedicated to him in Memphis and a giraffe named after him in the city's zoo. People recognize her as Ja's little sister when she goes out, and they even mention seeing her during her social media lives. Still, she didn't mind.
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