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Ja Morant Shares Support, Encouragement for Young Grizzlies Fan with Cerebral Palsy: 'Keep Going'

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts from the bench against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals at FedExForum on May 11, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts from the bench against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals at FedExForum on May 11, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee

Andy Lyons/Getty

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant had an encouraging message for a young fan who is inspired by the NBA superstar and his team.

Jade Rogers, a Grizzlies fan who has cerebral palsy, admires Morant, 22, and his young team's work ethic so much that she's applying their "grit and grind" mindset to her own physical therapy.

"I told my mom that this is my work in the dark that @JaMorant talks about," Rogers said, according to a Bleacher Report tweet. When she feels like she's struggling with her physical therapy sessions, Rogers remembers her favorite NBA team's grizzly mentality on the court.

She explained in an interview with local news outlet WREG Memphis, "I try to carry myself high even when things get tough and climb that mountain, just like the Grizzlies do."

According to the outlet, Rogers hopes to one day be able to walk, and recently stood on her own for 15 seconds, and did 15 step-ups while in physical therapy.

After Bleacher Report tagged Morant in Rogers' video from therapy, the NBA star shared the clip with his followers. "Keep going Jade…im with you" Morant wrote.

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Morant's young fan said that she was "grateful beyond words and slightly overwhelmed" by her favorite athlete's response.

"I share my journey to bring awareness to cerebral palsy with the goal of showcasing that we may have it but it will never have us," Rogers wrote in a tweet after the interaction went viral.

After Rogers' touching reaction to his tweet, Morant encouraged his followers to uplift others in their communities.

"Recognize that every interaction you have is an opportunity to make positive impacts on others," Morant wrote on Twitter shortly after his message to Rogers.

Morant — who was named the NBA's most improved player this season — led his team to the second round of the playoffs after eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.