Ja Morant, the superstar guard of the Memphis Grizzlies, recently posted an Instagram Live video of himself toting a gun at a nightclub, and he is facing plenty of criticism as a result.
The team announced he will miss at least its next two games, and it comes at a poor time, as they are fighting to hold off the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns in order to hold on to second place in the Western Conference.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith had some poignant words for Morant, and he made sure to make it clear that he is a fan of his and that he wants the best for him.
I covered Allen Iverson for the first 10 years of his career. He took a lot of hits for the company he kept.
Ja Morant’s fault is his own, and I’m proud of him for owning it.
But he needs to get it together. pic.twitter.com/hDqLYNzmUo
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 5, 2023
“You are a superstar,” Smith said. “You’re 23 years old. You got a deal that kicks in next year that could exceed $231 million over the next five years, and on this show, on national television, there’s you associated with police. Think about that for a second, and then ask yourself, ‘Is it really really worth it?’ You know the answer to that, bro. It’s not worth it.”
Gun violence and shootings are a very big concern in America today, and there have been a number of mass shooting at nightclubs in recent years.
Image and perception are everything, especially for a superstar pro athlete such as Morant.
Perhaps this will blow over in time, especially since Morant issues a statement in which he took responsibility for the incident, but he needs to make sure nothing of the sort ever happens again.
He is one of the NBA’s best and most electrifying players, and he is averaging 27.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game so far this season.
Although some consider the Grizzlies championship contenders, others feel they’re simply too young and possibly even immature to make a serious run at the NBA Finals.
Morant needs to show better leadership for the sake of himself and his team if they are ever to win their first world championship.
NEXT: DeMarcus Cousins Has A Roster Suggestion For Grizzlies
