Ja Morant has the world abuzz with concern over his off-court behavior, and many believe he is tanking his rising professional basketball career. However, with youth comes lessons that need to be learned, and from Allen Iverson to Dennis Rodman, being a famous ball player has always been challenging, especially in your 20s.
For his off the court actions, what began as a two game suspension is now, “not a timetable situation,” per coach Taylor Jenkins. The Grizzlies coach said as much on Sunday before their loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and that is all bad for young Ja.
“We have said that it’s going to be at least these two games,” Jenkins said. “I mean, this is going be an ongoing healing process. It’s really not a timetable situation.”
The circumstances have brought out the concern of sports OG’s who want better for Morant. Former player-turned-broadcaster Jalen Rose feels he can relate to the youthful inexperience of being in the spotlight that Morant is currently going through.
Jalen Rose Knows
“I am Ja Morant,” Rose said on “NBA Countdown” over the weekend. “You guys got a chance to see me grow up for public consumption since 1991. I’ve been involved in drug raids. I’ve survived assassination attempts, I’ve been that undisciplined young person that was trying to figure out how to be famous, how to be successful, how to change the dynamics of my family.”
Morant has been accused of assaulting a 17-year-old, having a physical altercation with a security guard at a sneaker store in the mall, and, most recently, brandishing a gun on social media. Accusations of a red laser being pointed at Indiana Pacers members by Morant’s friends also have surfaced. Many have dissected his decision-making in those instances and why those around him didn’t protect him from the eventual altercations.
“What I had to learn is that people come into your life for four reasons: to add, subtract, multiply or divide; you have to choose wisely. He has way too much to lose. Trust me, I’ve been that young player carrying a gun.” He added, “when you start waving it, that can get you killed. That’s an entirely different thing than we’re talking about: a superstar athlete shouldn’t be putting themselves in position … That’s him on the video, on his IG Live Live. Ain’t nobody coaxing him. Ain’t nobody egging him on to do that. That’s a personal choice.”
“I’m glad this actually happened at this point OF his life. He’s a 23-year-old young man. nobody got arrested, nobody got injured, and I’m hearing too many stories about pistols, okay?” Rose said. “Allegedly with a 17-year-old kid, allegedly with the Indiana Pacers staff, last night on IG Live, I saw the video like you guys did brandishing the gun. The next step to that is now recovery, and I believe that he’s on that path, I’m happy that he’s on that path. He’s gonna return, and he’s gonna be a better person, and because of all of this taking place, he’s now gonna be able to live his full potential.”
Shannon Sharpe’s Cookout Moment
Shannon Sharpe also weighed in on “Undisputed” to his co-host Skip Bayless and channeled his natural uncle energy, giving the common sense gospel any older person should.
“Let me tell you something about this internet, Skip, you start flashing your money, somebody gon’ come see ya,” Sharpe said on Monday’s episode of “Undisputed.” “You start flashing a gun on IG Live, somebody gon’ check ya and see if you really about that gunplay. That type of rhetoric, over the IG, let that go.
“Ja, I mean why? Skip, why would somebody that has a $231 million dollar (contract) want to have gun play? Look, he has a right. He has a second amendment right. But the NBA says ‘Yeah, we’re not gonna infringe on that right. But you not gonna bring that to the arenas. You’re not gonna have that at your training facilities. And you definitely not gonna bring that on the plane.’ So, that’s where he ran afoul with the NBA and it shows just how tone deaf he is.”
Sharpe had run-ins with Ja and the Grizzlies, and Tee Morant, Ja’s father, notably at a Los Angeles Lakers game in Crypto.com Arena. Cooler heads ultimately prevailed in that incident.
With the spotlight firmly on Ja Morant for his athletic abilities, he can learn from other polarized players from the past, like Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, and, yes, Jalen Rose, that with age and experience comes maturity.
