Apr 24, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts after scoring a basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half in game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Playoffs-Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers
(New York, NY) — I’m not an NBA player, nor a world-class athlete, nor a celebrity, nor a multi-millionaire.
But I don’t have to be any of those to look at Ja Morant and walk away feeling like he is sabotaging everything he has.
Another IG live video with Morant flashing a gun got him suspended from team activities and is likely, according to some, to result in a hefty suspension next season. After all of his time away from the team and his words saying he’ll be better, the guy who pretty much killed his chances of securing a huge bag by making an All-NBA Team now just put his career in jeopardy. He cost himself hundreds of thousands in salary, lost a Powerade endorsement, and made a fool of himself on Mother’s Day of all days.
To be clear, the problem is not that Morant owns a gun. The problem is that he behaves so flippantly and dare I say stupidly with it; when you’re supposed to be a role model for young basketball players, when you have a brand to protect, when you’re gifted with so much, the last thing you should be doing is going on Instagram live and waving a weapon around like its a toy.
It’s very clear that the 23-year-old Morant has issues regarding his identity and the people he associates with. Without a better understanding of himself, the stakes, and the company he keeps, he could very well be kicked out of the NBA. What franchise wants a guy who drives around with a gun for fun on their team, even if he is as good as Morant? There are millions of people who dream of being like Ja Morant the basketball player. Heck, a lot of people would settle for a quarter of his success. But it seems like Ja Morant the person doesn’t even want to be Ja Morant the basketball player. He’s giving in to the influence of others who have not even an iota of his gifts.
I’m only two years younger than Morant. I’m not going to act like I would be a paragon of virtue or responsibility if I had his talent or if I had his status at such a young age. But it does not take a genius to make these simple decisions about what is right and what is wrong.
