Ja Morant Source: Justin Ford / Getty
After a series of concerning events, it was announced Ja Morant has decided to get help and entered a counseling program in Florida.
Ja Morant snagged the NBA’s two most prestigious awards back to back when he won Rookie Of The Year and then Most Improved Player the following year. Those two awards fast-tracked him to becoming the new face of the NBA. After Nike disassociated from Kyrie Irving they immediately promoted Ja Morant with his first official sneaker. All was well with the Grizzlies star until a series of trouble events surfaced putting him under a microscope. Allegations that Ja assaulted a minor at his house raised eyebrows but Ja flashing a gun on Instagram live was the icing on the cake. Ja avoided criminal charges in Colorado but the NBA is investigating if he used the team plane to transport the firearm. The NBA immediately suspended him for two games but Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins updated Ja’s status to out indefinitely.
According to ESPN, Ja has entered a counseling program in Florida and still has no time frame for a return to the NBA. The counseling will reportedly focus on “learning better methods of dealing with stress” and his overall “well-being”. When asked about the counseling and when Ja would return HC Jenkins kept it brief.
“Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes after the next two games.”
“I’ve said that he’s taking time and responsibility to get better for himself so that he can be better for our team,” Jenkins said. “I’m not going to really comment further until there’s more updates necessary.”
Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones offered an update on Ja and revealed he has maintained contact with teammates and is participating in the team group chat.
“His spirit has been great so far when I have spoken to him,” Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones told ESPN. “It’s a unique time. There comes times in life when you’ve got to put yourself first before your family, before basketball, before a lot of other stuff, and I don’t know if a lot of guys have ever done that. It’s a time where he’s getting to put himself first, and I think he’s taken advantage of that. I hope he’s taking advantage of that, and it will be good for him.
“Basketball will be here. We support him. We have his back. He knows that, and that’s just what I try to reiterate to him.”
Hopefully, Ja finds the peace he is seeking during treatment in Florida. As far as this season it’s looking likely he may miss the rest of the season unless something drastically changes.
