Tee Morant Age, Net Worth, Career, Wife & Bio (2026)
Tee Morant is an American former basketball player, barber, youth basketball trainer, and entrepreneur best known as the father and original coach of Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies point guard. Born Temetrius Jamel Morant in 1978, Tee Morant is 47 years old in 2026. He grew up in Sumter County, South Carolina, played alongside future NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen at Hillcrest High School, attended Claflin University on a basketball scholarship, and gave up a potential professional career overseas when his wife Jamie became pregnant with Ja.
Tee Morant net worth is estimated at $1 million to $3 million in 2026, earned through his barbershop, private basketball training, youth skills camps, social media partnerships, and public appearances connected to the NBA spotlight his son brought to the family.
Who Is Tee Morant?
Tee Morant is one of the most recognisable fathers in American sports. He appears regularly courtside at Memphis Grizzlies games with the kind of energy that gets him on television almost as often as the plays on the court. He argues with referees, celebrates wildly after Ja dunks, and has been involved in several high-profile sideline incidents including a verbal altercation with sports broadcaster Shannon Sharpe at a Lakers-Grizzlies game at FedEx Forum.
He is equally known for being his son’s harshest critic. After the Grizzlies eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in a playoff series where Ja struggled statistically, Tee told media: “Ja played like trash. Trash!” That combination of unconditional support and unsparing honesty is the defining quality of his parenting philosophy, and it shaped one of the most electrifying players in the NBA.
Tee Morant Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Temetrius Jamel Morant |
| Nickname | Tee |
| Date of Birth | November 15, 1978 |
| Age (2026) | 47 years old |
| Birthplace | Sumter County, South Carolina, USA |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Mother | Saundra E. Dawson |
| Brothers | Mar Cell and Travis Wiley |
| High School | Hillcrest High School, Dalzell, South Carolina |
| University | Claflin University, Orangeburg, South Carolina (graduated 1998) |
| High School Teammate | Ray Allen (NBA Hall of Famer) |
| State Championship | 1992-93 season, Hillcrest High School |
| College Awards | EIAC Player of the Year 1996-97; 3x All-Conference; 2x Team MVP |
| Hall of Fame | Claflin University Athletic Hall of Fame (2023) |
| Wife | Jamie Morant |
| Son | Ja Morant (born August 10, 1999) |
| Daughter | Teniya Morant (born February 16, 2005) |
| Granddaughter | Kaari Jaidyn Morant (born August 7, 2019) |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) |
| Weight | 154 lbs (70 kg) |
| Career | Barber, trainer, entrepreneur, youth camp operator |
| Net Worth (2026) | $1 million – $3 million |
Tee Morant Age
Tee Morant age is 47 years old in 2026. His zodiac sign is Scorpio, a sign associated with intensity, determination, and passion. Anyone who has watched him on the sidelines would recognise those qualities instantly. He became a father at 20 years old when Ja was born in 1999, and a grandfather at 40 when Kaari Jaidyn Morant arrived in 2019.
Tee Morant Early Life and Family
Tee Morant grew up in Sumter County, South Carolina, in a household shaped by sport and community. His mother is Saundra E. Dawson, who works as an employee at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter. His brothers are Mar Cell and Travis Wiley.
The family has deep roots in South Carolina, and basketball was central to Tee’s identity from childhood. He developed his game in local neighbourhoods before earning his place on the Hillcrest High School basketball team in Dalzell, South Carolina.
Tee Morant Career
High School: Ray Allen’s Teammate
Tee Morant attended Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he played basketball alongside a player who would go on to become one of the greatest shooters in NBA history: Ray Allen. Both were coached by Dwayne Edwards. In the 1992-93 season, their Hillcrest team won the South Carolina state championship, per Sports Illustrated. Tee was considered one of the best guards in his region, and his pairing with Allen gave him early exposure to elite-level play.
Claflin University
After high school, Tee earned a scholarship to play at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, a historically Black university in the NAIA. His collegiate career was outstanding by any measure:
- EIAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year (1996-97)
- Three EIAC All-Conference selections
- Two team MVP awards
- First-team All-Freshman honoree
- Led the Claflin Panthers to consecutive NAIA National Championship Tournament appearances
He graduated from Claflin in 1998. That same year, he attended an NBA free agency camp with the goal of turning professional. He was told he was not tall enough for what teams were looking for at the time, a verdict that redirected the rest of his life.
In 2023, Claflin University inducted Tee into their Athletic Hall of Fame, formally recognising a playing career that stood on its own merits, not merely retroactively celebrated because of his son’s fame.
The Decision to Step Away
After the NBA camp rejection, Tee pursued professional basketball internationally, lining up overseas opportunities. Then he found out his wife Jamie was pregnant with Ja. He walked away from professional basketball without hesitation.
Tee has spoken about that decision with candour: “The negative things I had in me, I wanted to keep out of him, as far as the going out and all that. I wanted him to focus on his dream. I didn’t put 100 percent in mine.”
He settled in Dalzell and became a barber in the Sumter, South Carolina area, building a stable income to support his family. He has said he only missed one of Ja’s games from the age of six onwards.
Training Ja Morant
Rather than leaving basketball behind entirely, Tee converted his backyard into a training facility. His methods were low-cost and high-intensity:
- Jump training using tractor tires for explosive leg development
- Step-back jump shot drills to replicate game situations
- Competitive one-on-one sessions where Tee gave no quarter
- Verbal coaching built around accountability and relentless honesty
Tee told Ja he was “overrated” after dominant performances throughout his development years, a deliberate tactic to prevent complacency. It became one of the most discussed coaching philosophies in youth basketball circles after Ja reached the NBA.
Ja Morant’s high school was Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina, not Hillcrest where Tee played. Ja was initially so overlooked that only Murray State University offered him a scholarship. He was drafted second overall in 2019 by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Youth Training and Entrepreneurship
Today, Tee runs the Tee Morant Skills and Agility Training Camp, a youth basketball development programme. He uses his playing credentials, Claflin career, and hands-on experience training an NBA star to deliver credible instruction to young players across South Carolina and Tennessee.
His entrepreneurial activities also include community business interests in the Sumter and Memphis areas.
Tee Morant Wife: Jamie Morant
Tee Morant met Jamie Morant while they were both students at Claflin University. Jamie was a point guard in high school and a softball player in college, making the Morant household one of the most naturally athletic family environments in American sports. Their son Ja inherited point guard instincts from both parents.
Jamie grew up in Appling, Georgia, though she is also associated with Sumter, South Carolina. She has maintained a deliberately low public profile, leaving Tee as the more visible family figure while managing the family from behind the scenes. The couple has been together for over 25 years.
Their children are Ja Morant, born August 10, 1999, and daughter Teniya Morant, born February 16, 2005. Both grew up in Dalzell in the same sports-oriented household Tee constructed around discipline, honesty, and basketball.
Tee Morant and Ja Morant
Ja Morant’s full legal name is Temetrius Jamel Morant, named directly after his father. That naming decision was not incidental. Tee has described Ja as the continuation of his own basketball legacy, the version of the story where the professional dream gets completed.
Ja was drafted second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2020, was named an NBA All-Star in 2022 and 2023, and won the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2022. His estimated net worth is around $50 million.
Tee’s presence at Grizzlies games is a fixture of the NBA season. The April 2022 viral moment came when fans noticed his striking resemblance to singer Usher, who was sitting next to him at a Grizzlies playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The comparison generated millions of social media impressions within 48 hours and brought Tee Morant a wave of mainstream recognition beyond the basketball world.
His Shannon Sharpe altercation at FedEx Forum, where Tee engaged in a verbal confrontation with the sports broadcaster at a Lakers-Grizzlies game, was another moment that cemented his reputation as one of the most passionate and uninhibited sideline presences in the sport.
His granddaughter, Kaari Jaidyn Morant, was born on August 7, 2019, making Tee a grandfather at 40. Ja has spoken publicly about how central Kaari is to his life and career motivation.
Tee Morant Net Worth
Tee Morant net worth is estimated at $1 million to $3 million in 2026. His wealth is entirely self-made through independent work that began with a barbershop and expanded into training and entrepreneurship as his son’s fame brought him new opportunities.
Income Sources
| Source | Estimated Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Youth basketball camps and private training | $60,000 – $120,000 |
| Barbershop and community business interests | $40,000 – $80,000 |
| Social media sponsorships and brand partnerships | $30,000 – $70,000 |
| Public appearances and NBA-related events | $20,000 – $50,000 |
Tee Morant net worth is sometimes contrasted with Ja Morant’s estimated $50 million, a figure built through NBA contracts, Nike endorsement deals, and other commercial partnerships. Tee’s wealth is smaller in scale but entirely independent of Ja’s earnings. He built it through the same discipline he used to build his son’s game: consistent, unglamorous daily work.
For another figure who put their own professional ambitions aside to support someone they loved, and in doing so became publicly known through that person’s fame, see our profile on Amber Laign.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Tee Morant in 2026?
Tee Morant is 47 years old in 2026. He was born on November 15, 1978, in Sumter County, South Carolina. His zodiac sign is Scorpio.
What is Tee Morant’s real name?
His full legal name is Temetrius Jamel Morant. He is universally known by his nickname Tee, and his son Ja Morant carries the same full legal name as a tribute to his father.
What is Tee Morant net worth?
Tee Morant net worth is estimated at $1 million to $3 million in 2026, earned through his barbershop, youth basketball training camps, social media partnerships, and public appearances.
Who is Tee Morant’s wife?
Tee Morant’s wife is Jamie Morant, whom he met at Claflin University. Jamie was a point guard in high school and a softball player in college. They have been together for over 25 years.
Did Tee Morant play in the NBA?
No. He attended an NBA free agency camp after graduating from Claflin University in 1998 but was told he was not tall enough. He stepped away from professional basketball entirely when Jamie became pregnant with Ja.
What is Tee Morant’s height?
He stands at 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) and weighs approximately 154 lbs (70 kg). That height was considered undersized by NBA standards when he attended free agency camp in 1998.
How did Tee Morant train Ja Morant?
He built a backyard training setup using tractor tires for jump training, conducted step-back jump shot drills, and played competitive one-on-one sessions against Ja throughout his development. He also regularly told Ja he was “overrated” to prevent complacency.
Final Thoughts
Tee Morant net worth of $1 million to $3 million does not capture the actual size of his contribution to basketball. He gave up a professional career overseas, picked up a pair of scissors, and spent the next two decades turning a backyard in Dalzell, South Carolina into the training ground for one of the NBA’s most explosive players. The tractor tires, the blunt criticism, the missed-nothing approach: all of it was deliberate.
At 47, Tee Morant age reflects nearly three decades of fatherhood and basketball mentorship, as he watches his son play professional basketball from a courtside seat where millions of fans recognise his face. His Hall of Fame honour at Claflin is permanent. His granddaughter carries the Morant name forward. By any measure that actually counts, Tee Morant finished exactly where he needed to be.
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Mamie I. Hernandez is a writer at CelebsOrbit.com, covering celebrity news, biographies, and trending entertainment stories. With a passion for pop culture and clear, engaging writing, Mamie delivers quick, reliable insights that help readers stay updated on their favorite stars.