The controversy with Ja Morant continues: after his crazy night between guns and strippers, the NBA investigates him and the sponsors turn their backs on him

Ja Morant is called to be a star. the basics of MemphisAged 23, he is one of the most explosive and talented young players with the best vision of the game NBA, but several controversial incidents he’s been featured in off the court in recent weeks threaten to end his career. However, after being suspended from his team, being at the center of an American League investigation, seeing himself in danger of losing some of his sponsors, and receiving rejection from fans, he decided to seek help.

As confirmed at ESPN Coming from the Grizzlies, Morant entered a counseling program in Florida with the goal of “getting help and working on learning better methods of coping with stress and my overall well-being.” Thus, although at first it was expected that he would be available for this Friday’s duel against the spurs in San Antonio his return does not seem to have a certain date.

Is that the Tennessee franchise will continue to prioritize “the desire and need of its player to get help,” after a series of troubling incidents, such as the one he starred in on March 4, when he made a live broadcast on Instagram from a Denver nightlife club while holding a firearm.

“We love him and want the best for him, that’s why we support him. It will be a difficult process, but we have a great team to get through it,” he commented. Taylor Jenkins, Memphis coach. “We will go day by day. This will be a daily healing process. Ja is fully committed to this process and will take time to improve himself so he can be better for our team.”

“There are two elements I want to make clear: there is a support element, someone who needs to improve and needs help, and there is also a certain responsibility towards the team we have to defend. There is a lot of focus on gun violence. This is the position we have taken on how we can support Ja through this growth opportunity and hope that he can improve” the coach added.

Beyond the suspension – which has already made him miss the duels against the CuttersTHE lakers, Golden state and two in front Dallasin which the Grizzlies added three wins and two losses, Morant has not lost touch with his teammates, with whom he remains in contact via phone calls or via the group’s text message chain.

“Sometimes there comes a time in life when you have to put yourself ahead of your family and basketball and many other things. He has to put himself first today. I hope he takes advantage of this opportunity and it’s good for him.” he said Tius Jonesanother of the team’s bases.

He continued, “Every time we spoke I felt his spirit was intact. Basketball will be here when he comes back. We support him and take care of his sword. He knows it.”

Not all of Morant’s “associates” came out to support him. A few days after that broadcast on Instagram that sparked the scandal, the company Coca Colaowner of powerade, decided to suspend an advertising campaign for the energy drink starring the base, which had been billed as “the biggest marketing move in its history”. And he removed all ads featuring the Memphis star from television, social media, and other media.

The company has not disclosed whether it will break its contract with Morant, which was signed just weeks before the dispute began. But the player’s face no longer appears on the official Powerade page, which for many means the link won’t last long.

There were even versions claiming that Morant would have lost Nikewith whom he has had an endorsement deal since 2019. However, the sportswear giant released a statement showing its support for the player: “We appreciate Ja’s responsibility and the fact that he is taking the time to get the help they need. Let’s support their priority of their well-being “.

Nike – who recently split Kyrie Irvingafter the Dallas player had posted some tweets with anti-Semitic messages – he had launched in December the Nike Ja 1the first line of shoes for the point guard.

Morant’s “indiscretions”.

The scandal surrounding Morant erupted in the early hours of Sunday, March 5, when, following Memphis’ loss to Denver as a visitor, the point guard shared that video live from a nightclub in that city.

As reported by New York Post, the player had already visited that place a few days before. Following his team’s home win against Houston on March 2, the point guard landed in Denver and arrived at the club with a friend and two security guards. He paid $900 to book the VIP space for three hours.

Video captures from a security camera accessed by the New York outlet show Morant sitting in an armchair, with a stripper in her underwear dancing on her lap. The entire place is filled with dollar bills that act as a mattress and which then became the tip of local employees.

Morant came back a few days later when he did that live broadcast and flashed his gun. Debora Dunafon, majority owner of the venue, said he and police officers reviewed security footage from Morant’s second night and said “no one saw a weapon.” And Glendale police said they investigated Morant but determined there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him with a crime.

However, after the hail of criticism generated by these images, Memphis suspended him – first for two games, then for another four – and the NBA has opened an investigation – if it is found that the player took the gun to the locker room or in a team’s locker room facilities, he could receive a much more significant penalty. And Morant apologized.

But for many, the point guard’s mea culpa didn’t mean much. Because Instagram’s glitch is the latest in a string of troubling off-the-court shenanigans plaguing the meteoric rise of the two-timer. all Stars and Rookie of the Year in 2020.

The most recent had occurred in the last Northern Hemisphere summer, when, according to the Washington Post, Morant was reported twice within four days. He was first accused of threatening a Memphis mall security officer during an altercation. The police intervened but no one was arrested.

Later, he was accused of intimidating a 17-year-old boy with a gun after a fight during a basketball game at the player’s home. According to the victim, the player hit him “repeatedly on the head and threw him to the ground.” The police checked the injuries caused by the beatings. The boy also assured that, after the confrontation, Morant went to his house with “a visible gun” in his pants and with his hands on the gun.