Ja Morant recently made his return to the NBA. He missed 8 games for the Memphis Grizzlies after Adam Silver and the NBA suspended him. For those who don’t know, Ja flashed a gun on Instagram live. This happened at a nightclub in Denver, Colorado. The NBA guard had done this right after losing to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
When the news first came to light, there were rumors of a possible 50-game suspension from the NBA. The main reason for this was that many questioned whether Ja brought the firearm on the team plane to Denver. However, Colorado police later concluded that there was not enough evidence to support these claims.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/OhNwWzj9zU
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 15, 2023
Despite this, the NBA suspended Ja for conduct that was “Detrimental to the league.” The player entered a counseling program as well, after releasing a statement and mentioning that he would be taking some time off to reflect on his actions. Before returning to the NBA court, Ja sat down for an interview with Jalen Rose and ESPN.
Ja Morant’s dad, Tee, rocking a ‘Redemption’ shirt for Ja’s return to the Grizzlies.
(via @DamichaelC) pic.twitter.com/zTEwC4NJUV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 22, 2023
The 23-year-old came clean about his actions and said he let his parents down. In addition to this, his father, Tee Morant, has also spoken about the controversy recently. Before the game, Tee was spotted wearing a shirt with Ja’s picture, and the wording “Redemption.” It seems like he knew what might be in store for his son.
Tee Morant takes the blame for Ja Morant’s gun controversy
Ja was on the bench for the game against the Houston Rockets. He made his way to the court late in the first quarter. The fans in the arena welcomed him back with a standing ovation as well. Tee Morant disclosed his feelings about the controversy to The Athletic after the game.
“I blame myself. I blame myself. Because that’s my son. When I say I will die for my kids, I will die for my kids. Now has the world thought about that or thought like that? Anything my kid does, I’m going to blame myself,” Tee said. It certainly looks like he is taking all the blame for what Ja has done in recent times.
Fans have not gone easy on Tee either. Recently, many questioned Tee’s role as a father and claimed that he was also the problem in all the controversies Ja has been involved in. However, a point to be noted is that the 45-year-old was the first one to stop his son during an attack on the 17-year-old boy last year.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is being sued after he was accused of punching a 17-year-old during a pickup basketball game. pic.twitter.com/FurEagyG7S
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) January 3, 2023
Ja has landed himself in trouble numerous times in the past year or so and it certainly does not do his career any favors. Many have demanded that he get back on track and focus on the task ahead, which is tasting success in the league. Ja might have turned over a new leaf recently, as he claimed that the NBA title is his goal during the interview with Jalen Rose.