March Madness 2019: Ja Morant praised by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green

Murray State star Ja Morant didn’t just capture the attention of casual bracket watchers Thursday in a first-round win over Marquette. His triple-double effort caught the attention of two prominent Warriors — Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

Morant’s 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds led No. 12 Murray State to an 83-64 upset victory over the fifth-seeded Marquette. It was the first time a player recorded a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament since Green did it for Michigan State in 2012.

“Welcome to the elite club, brotha,” Green told Yahoo on Friday. “That’s all I’ve got to say. That was my first time watching him play and he’s for real.”

Ja Morant finishes off a performance to remember in style. pic.twitter.com/QsJkeZ71b3

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2019

Morant’s stardom could follow a similar path to Curry, who was a mid-major sensation in 2008 leading Davidson to the Elite Eight.

Curry, who took that March magic into his pro career, said the tournament is unlike anything else in the sport, especially for a 19-year-old.

“I’m sure the tournament is the first time most people get to see Ja. There’s no preparation for it because in the tournament, everybody wants to play in it, but it hits you in the face with the attention and the adrenaline rush,” Curry told Yahoo. “It’s a small window where everybody’s eyeballs are all on you and you can surprise a lot of people. But the biggest thing for me is I had the confidence going in and it sets you up to be ready for that moment.”

Morant is expected to be a top-three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft if he declares. But before he worries about his pro career, Morant will try to lead his Racers team down a similar path as that 2008 Davidson team.

So, how does he do that?

"Just be yourself,” Curry said. “You don’t have to do anything special. Whatever you’ve been doing, continue. The spotlight is just a little brighter. Don’t change it up, which obviously he’s off to a good start in that respect. But it’s the best time of your life. Playing for your school, trying to do special things, knowing most likely it’s your last run playing in college. It’s one of the best moments. Even when I see that red [Davidson] jersey pop up with me in it, it always brings me back to how cool it was. So, embrace it and enjoy it because it goes by quick.”

Morant and the 12th-seeded Racers play No. 4 Florida State at 6:10 p.m. ET on Saturday in the Round of 32.