The Memphis Grizzlies won just six out of 25 games without their best player.
Ja Morant came back, and they managed to steal a two-point road win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Morant picked up things right where he left off before serving his 25-game suspension, putting on a show and scoring 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds.
He also knocked down the game-winning bucket to get his team its seventh win of the season, which led to plenty of praise and reaction from his most renowned colleagues around the league, such as LeBron James, Draymond Green, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones, and Tyrese Maxey (Via ClutchPoints).
Morant took to social media to thank everybody for his congratulations.
“Love is love,” Morant posted.
love is love 💙 https://t.co/Jrs9WKtoZJ
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) December 20, 2023
He’s one of the faces of the league, which is why NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t hesitate to lay the hammer on him for his repeated violations of the league’s code of conduct.
Morant lost north of $7 million in playing salary alone, not to mention the fact that he won’t be eligible to make an All-NBA team or be an MVP, which could end up having some big financial repercussions when it comes to his next contract extension.
Morant is one of the most popular players on Earth, and the league wants to have guys like him on the court as often as possible.
NEXT: LeBron James Reacts After Ja Morant’s Game-Winning Shot