NFL
By: Zachary Draves
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is clearly in a dangerous state of despair, despondence, and distress that is having everyone reach out with a helping hand after some reported episodes of alleged troubling behavior.
(Courtesy: Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
Last Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that last summer there were two incidents involving Morant that included him possessing a weapon. A 17 year old boy accused Morant of coming out of his house and brandishing a gun in his waistband after an apparent altercation between the boy and Morant after a pick-up basketball game in the backyard of Morant’s residence. The other incident involved allegedly threatening a security guard in the parking lot of a mall in Memphis.
(Courtesy: NBAE via Getty Images)
Then on Saturday morning, Morant posted a disturbing video on his Instagram page in which he appears to be posing with a gun outside of a strip club in Glendale, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. On Monday, the Glendale Police Department announced that they were conducting an investigation into the matter.
Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins announced on Sunday that Morant would be benched indefinitely after they originally said that he would sit out at least two games. The NBA is conducting their own investigation into these incidents and if there is enough evidence that points towards misconduct on the part of Morant, he could be subjected to a fine or even an outright suspension.
Morant issued a statement that read:
“I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
(Courtesy: AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
His sponsor Nike also issued a statement reading:
“We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
There has been no indication at the moment that Nike will drop Morant any time.
Since coming into the league in 2019, Morant has been one of the most exciting players in the league. In 2020, he won Rookie of the Year and has been a two time all-star. He has also been a major catalyst for the renewed success of the Grizzlies who are currently ranked second in the Western Conference with a record of 38-25 and increasingly being looked at as perennial title contenders in the future.
His absence will certainly hurt their momentum and morale, but it does present an opportunity for the avoidance of a cautionary tale of too much too soon for a young athlete in his prime.
Morant is only 23 years old and life in the fast lane has certainly forced him to grow up more quickly than usual. The glitz and glamor of professional sports certainly brings plenty of relished spoils (fame and money) that many come to assume as protective shields from the pressures and stressors of life. However when you are that young and you have everyone around you depending on you to succeed, sometimes the stress can get to you in ways that can raise alarm bells about something more going on than what meets the eye.
Morant expressed his vulnerabilities in a 2021 interview with Taylor Brooks of Bleacher Report. He shared how he tries to prioritize his mental health as best he can when he is trying to be “everyone else’s anchor”.
The clip can be seen here:
“You don’t realize you’re drowning when you’re trying to be everyone else’s anchor.” @jamorant talks to me about dealing with the bubble and how he works on his mental health every day. Make sure you take care of yourself first pic.twitter.com/bKOBZOB0FX
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) September 29, 2021
The accusations against Morant have yet to be proven as fact, but the Instagram video does provide some insight into a man who possibly is in a constant state of fight mode whenever he feels he is being challenged as well as someone who has an extremely cavalier attitude towards guns.
This is where America’s toxic gun culture rears its ugly head when guns, even if lawfully purchased, are seen as legitimate tools used to further escalate petty disputes and cling to a false sense of power and security. All in all dramatically increasing the risk for folly and tragedy to occur and adding to America’s every growing crisis of gun violence.
The good news is that Morant does have people of common sense and good intention reaching out to offer their support. A notable example is former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Jalen Rose.
On ESPN last Saturday, Rose heartfully talked about his own struggles as a young player who felt the need to carry a gun and trying to be all things to all people.
Jalen Rose shared a personal message on the Ja Morant situation: pic.twitter.com/cKvQX3Xcys
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 5, 2023
“I am Ja Morant,” he said. “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.”
If he can connect with Rose, trained mental health professionals who will focus on the man and not the athlete, find healthy alternatives for coping with stress, and willing to put forward the effort only then can he recover.
This is a time for Ja Morant to take a good look in the mirror and look inward. His unique talents could be squandered if he doesn’t clean house and get himself together.
Otherwise it was fun while it lasted.
