Ja Morant鈥檚 skyrocketing basketball career is on hold following a series of off-court decisions by the young NBA star involving a gun in a strip club, actions which have temporarily derailed his meteoric rise.
Morant is the target of a in weeks with to the Memphis Grizzlies. The two-time All-Star will miss his second game Tuesday night when Memphis visits the Los Angeles Lakers.
His benching after showing an apparent gun while at a strip club hours after a loss to Denver comes amid a sealed lawsuit alleging he punched a teenager during a pick-up game at his home last summer along with drinking and partying.
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins says the 23-year-old Morant is a young man that has to 鈥済row and get better.鈥
Morant is the face of a young team with no player 30 or older, in a city that has been the center of the country鈥檚 gun issues.
In November 2021, a rapper who had performed at a Grizzlies鈥 halftime show was . In 2010, a was found dead riddled by bullets in a swampy field in southeast of the city.
Morant and the Grizzlies provided a much-needed respite in January while Memphis grieved the following a brutal attack by five police officers.
All that made Morant鈥檚 Instagram livestreaming himself shirtless holding an apparent gun next to his left cheek in the early morning hours Saturday at a Colorado club simply stunning.
Reverend Earle Fisher of Abyssinian Baptist Church spoke at both Young Dolph鈥檚 memorial and funeral and has talked with Morant鈥檚 father since the viral video. Fisher said a broader conversation is needed about open carry gun laws with some cultural context applied.
鈥淭here are some ways to interpret what Ja did in a way that holds him accountable, but also gives him the grace and the space that鈥檚 needed to continue to mature as somebody who is the face of the franchise,鈥 said Fisher.
Morant has beaten the odds after being an overlooked, faceless college prospect playing summer basketball, taking a road less traveled to become an NBA All-Star and league MVP candidate. Morant signed a but missing too many games this season could cost him a potential $38 million bonus.
This is only the latest in a series of questionable incidents involving Morant.
A close friend of Morant鈥檚 was escorted from the arena after arguing with Indiana Pacers鈥 players in January. Morant said the NBA banned his friend from the arena for a year.
Last summer during a pick-up basketball game at Morant鈥檚 home, a 17-year-old accused him of assault. Investigators said in January that 鈥渢here was not enough evidence to proceed with a case.鈥
Of all the scrutiny, is the most serious threat yet to Morant鈥檚 career and the Grizzlies鈥 pursuit of their first championship.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being,鈥 said Morant in a statement Saturday released by the agency that represents him.
The young talented player with tremendous earning potential has plenty of support.
A from the strip club showed Morant wearing the diamond pendant with his Ja 1 shoe logo Nike gave him at last month鈥檚 All-Star Game. The shoe company is backing him for now, saying in a statement: 鈥淲e appreciate Ja鈥檚 accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs.鈥
Morant also has reached out individually to former coaches and teammates, including current LSU's Matt McMahon.
鈥淚 love him,鈥 said McMahon, who coached Morant at Murray State. 鈥淚, and my coaching staff, are always going to be there to support and help him navigate these challenging times.鈥
Morant鈥檚 basketball prowess is unquestioned. He was the No. 2 pick overall, 2020 Rookie of the Year and finished seventh in MVP voting last season. He ranks ninth in the NBA averaging 27.1 points a game and fifth with 8.2 assists a game for a team second in the Western Conference.
Now the Grizzlies鈥 coach knows he may be without his best player for an extended period of time.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got huge responsibilities not just for the team, for the city,鈥 Jenkins said. 鈥淏ut I know how he鈥檚 built with that care factor and what steps he鈥檚 now taking. It鈥檚 a step in the direction of really being the best version of himself.鈥
Morant appeared to have the perfect support system coming into the NBA with his parents repeatedly hitting the road to watch him during his . They followed him to Memphis from South Carolina, and now live near him.
His father, Tee, became a postseason sensation last spring as he made bets and trash-talked with Karl-Anthony Towns鈥 dad. He narrated his son鈥檚 new Powerade commercial that debuted just last week and refused to excuse his son鈥檚 actions in a Facebook post.
NBA investigators will want to know if that really was a gun and whether Morant carried it on the team plane. The league could suspend or fine Morant, and he also could face misdemeanor charges in Colorado if police find he was under the influence while holding a gun.
The Grizzlies aren鈥檛 saying what help Morant is getting, or how long he will be away from his teammates.
No one can at this point.
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds and AP Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.
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