The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant for flashing a gun on an Instagram Live stream from a strip club.
Though he won’t face charges from the incident, it still has caused numerous sponsors to pause their relationship with the troubled star.
Morant sat down with ESPN reporter Jalen Rose to give his side of various incidents that have caused headlines in recent months.
“Honestly, I feel like we put ourselves in that situation with our past mistakes, and now it’s only right that we focus in and lock in on being smarter and more responsible, holding each other accountable for everything,” Morant told Rose about his inner circle. “I feel like in the past we didn’t know what was at stake. And now finally me having that time to realize everything, have that time alone, I realize that now.”
Morant said he’s come to realize how much he has to lose and how much the franchise is depending on him to clean up his act.
“I realize what I have to lose, and for us as a group, what we have to lose. It’s pretty much just that being more responsible, more smarter and staying away from all the bad decisions.”
Only time will tell if this is a new era for Morant. But the NBA world was quick to react to the interview:\
When we think about financial trauma we often look at it from a lens of lack—that is to say events, situations, conditions, etc. marked by not having or not having enough money. But financial trauma works both ways. pic.twitter.com/3XGHGdJtYb
— Social Architect (@RahkimSabree) March 16, 2023
People make mistakes. No charges brought. Not gonna condemn a 23 year old kid. Let’s play ball. https://t.co/pvbSC5J6Rt
— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) March 15, 2023
love the glasses jalen this is a serious interview hope those are ur serious glasses
— Portland Pickles (@picklesbaseball) March 15, 2023
This is weird. Why the police questions?
You aren't allowed to hold a gun in an open-carry state? https://t.co/NGgozngJLg— Charles Preston (@_CharlesPreston) March 16, 2023
Ja messed up. Deserved the punishment he got. Needs to for sure get back on track, no doubt about it. I always say, “Don’t fumble the bag.”
However, something about this doesn’t feel right. It feels like a “Hey, you say sorry to the world while you help get us ratings” https://t.co/Lybeh1tiAo
— Gee Scott Sr. (@GeeScottSr) March 16, 2023