MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – FEBRUARY 07: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies warms up before the game against the Chicago Bulls at FedExForum on February 07, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
*Memphis Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant has reportedly been sidelined indefinitely after checking into a rehab counseling program.
Morant was initially suspended for two games after appearing in an Instagram Live where he showed off a gun. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski announced on Twitter this week that the young athlete was in Florida to receive counseling.
Wojnarowski wrote, “Reporting with @ESPN_MacMahon: Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has entered a counseling program in Florida and there remains no timetable for his return to active play.” This Wild Life guitarist Anthony Del Grosso replied in the comments, “What comes next is what the league wants to do. I think it’s setting an example for new age of players and suspended for the year. Not saying it’s deserved just what I think will happen.”
As reported by Uproxx, Morant previously shared in a statement that he needs “to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
READ MORE: Fat Joe Slams Father of Ja Morant for Getting Drunk at Games Instead of Parenting His Son | WATCH
Reporting with @ESPN_MacMahon: Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has entered a counseling program in Florida and there remains no timetable for his return to active play.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 13, 2023
The Instagram video that Morant posted earlier this month, and shared widely on social media, shows him briefly flashing a gun while listening to music at a nightclub, presumably in Denver. As we previously reported, citing CNN, the Grizzlies played in Houston against the Rockets on March 1 before heading to Denver for a game against the Nuggets on March 3.
The police department in Glendale, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, later said the agency won’t recommend charges against Morant.
“(The department) was not able to determine that probable cause existed for the filing of any charges. In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question (police) did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type,” department officials said in a statement.
No one made a complaint and investigators concluded no one was threatened or menaced with a gun, police said.
Taylor Jenkins on if Ja Morant returns Fri: “There are a lot of internal dialogues going on and obviously there’s still things going on at the league level that we’re in communication with. Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes next after these 2 games.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 13, 2023
Meanwhile, Fat Joe has called out Tee Morant, father Ja Morant, for getting drunk at his son’s games instead of prioritizing his family’s issues.
The rapper’s criticism comes after the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Morant would “be away from the team for at least the next two games,” amid the gun controversy. Morant later apologized for the incident, saying in a statement: “I take full responsibility for my actions…” adding “I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down.”
Fat Joe says Tee Morant needs to stop relishing in his newfound fame and instead “school his son” before he loses his career.
“Ja Morant always got his father there,” Fat Joe said, Vlad TV reports. “Instead of enjoying the scene and getting drunk at the games, he better school his son before the kid loses his career [and]loses all the greatness he gotta bring. You gotta understand, as a fan, I’m selfish, I don’t want nothing to happen to Ja Morant because he got so many Christmases, so many birthdays, so many times to light them up on TV. He is must see TV. I do not want this kid to get in trouble. They said he’s still young, that means nothing…You cannot be out there punching people with a gun…Somebody tell this future billionaire to sit his a*s down!”
The hip-hop star added, “You did not come this far to f*ck this sh*t up. Your family has to really be your family and talk to you, and I hope that somebody gets him a copy of this, ’cause I don’t make money off Ja Morant, I’m just telling you the truth.”
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