It appears that Ja Morant and his band of merry men are sticking to their guns – literally and figuratively.
Unfortunately, so are Powerade, Nike, and the NBA.
Nike has pulled Morant’s first signature shoe from their website.
Powerade already chose not to run his first ad after the incident in March.
Hell, losing $39,000,000 for not making an All-NBA team would have been enough to have rattled my cage.
And now the Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Morant indefinitely from all team facilities and functions, while stunned NBA commissioner Adam Silver pontificates how to respond to Morant’s latest, second display of a firearm in an Instagram Live video clip.
Inside, on the soles of the left and right shoes of Morant’s Ja1 it is inscribed:
“To my fans, my family, my haters, my coach, the hard work, the game, the love, my hometown, my team, the laughter, tears, sweat, the drills, my community, my peers, my heroes, the competition, the spirit, to my daughter, to those I inspire, to those that doubt the process, the failures and the success, to everyone who was, is and will be with me – since Day 1.”
Nobody’s asked the biggest question about Ja Morant:
Where is Tee Morant on all of this gun nonsense?
He should have been the first one involved after his son flashed the gun in the Denver nightclub, was subsequently suspended eight games, and underwent counseling in Florida during his “time away from the team.”
Not Taylor Jenkins.
Not Adam Silver.
But Dad.
Calling him out by his full name – “Temetrius Jamel Morant, get your small town, Sumter County, South Carolina, Crestwood High, unranked, Murray State, overachieving, high flying, jumping-over-Anthony-Davis, wrist spraining, gun-waving hind parts in here” and turning him over this knee.
Getting the strap instead of getting strapped.
But that won’t happen – the elder Morant is too busy meeting celebrities and trying to be a celebrity, dressing like the second coming of Usher, courtside in the hobnob sections of arenas instead of teaching this 23 year old how to handle this sudden stardom.
I mean, c’mon Tee, it’s not like your son isn’t at risk of losing just anything; naw, he could just lose it all.
In fact, he is losing it all.
Those brand new contacts with Nike and Powerade are in jeopardy, if they even exist anymore at all, and the ink isn’t even dry from the offering and signing of said contracts.
Nike released Morant’s debut shoe back on April 19, 2023 with hopes that the release would be positive news coming off the March incident and subsequent backlash.
They were right. With Morant’s popularity, the first colorway sold out nationwide within the first few hours of release.
So popular that within a couple days of me receiving mine on the day of release, I had people offering me upwards of $500.00 to buy them off my feet.
Now, the pair I own may be a collector’s item.
The subsequent releases of the ‘Hunger’ (May 25), the ‘Ember Glow’ (July 3), and ‘Light Smoke Grey’ (August 11) may not happen as Nike waits and not just because Michael Wilbon won’t buy a pair of the Ja 1s.
Sponsors are waiting to see what the NBA plans to do with Morant.
With the popularity of a shoe not seen since the early days of the Air Jordan, one questions if the popularity of the shoe is because of the style, the design, the anticipation of its release, the colorways … or people wanting to wear the shoe in the same manner that gang members wear blue and red bandanas?
Why not at least have surrogates from the current NBA and retired NBA players who have had gang ties or been in gangs do a ‘Scared Straight’ intervention with Morant?
James Harden comes from that life, but showers dollar bills in strip clubs versus spraying bullets in the streets. The only thing DeMar DeRozan shoots up are opponents’ nets and the stat sheets and he is in one of the toughest cities in the NBA – Chicago.
Carmelo Anthony. J.R. Smith. Monta Ellis. Caron Butler. Stephen Jackson.
All have emerged successfully from the streets to become icons in the NBA, but even moreso, created new life and new reputations for themselves despite their background and upbringings in Compton and Baltimore, with the Bloods, the Crips, and Gangster Disciples.
Dalzell, South Carolina is none of those cities or environments.
It’s home to McCarty’s Groceries, Orange Grove, Paul’s Diner, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Bradford Springs, and the Chicken Shack – definitely not hotbeds of gang activity.
Sorry, Dalzell. (10) Columbia, (9) Walterboro, (8) Hartsville, (7) Spartanburg, (6) Anderson, (5) Marion, (4) Myrtle Beach, (3) Dillon, (2) Lake City, and (1) Bishopville are waaaaaay ahead of you when it comes to criminal reputation and statistics.
You’re more likely to see meetings about the Second Amendment over morning coffee than plots to do anything nefarious or foolish.
It’s not a Dalzell issue. It’s young Morant’s image and reputation that’s being damaged … and his career being suicided by poor decision making. And, depending on how the NBA responds, if perception of the league takes a hit or not.
I mean, yeah, the State of Tennessee has open carry. So, as JJ Redick pointed out, he’s not breaking any laws.
So it boils down to the NBA Code of Conduct.
And let’s not fail to acknowledge the fact that Morant isn’t releasing these videos on IG Live himself; so why isn’t he looking at the company he keeps?
I understand these are lifelong friends and they all want to build a dynasty together as they cruise through life.
But LeBron James, Rich Paul, and Maverick Carter had the same dreams and aspirations and grew up in tougher neighborhoods than Dalzell, South Carolina; but they sure as hell didn’t go about it this way.
Bottom line is that sponsors come and go. If it’s not Nike, there’s possibly always an Under Armour or Adidas in the wings. If not Powerade, Gatorade or one of these 286 upstart drink companies could pour themselves into that slot.
If not the NBA, then perhaps the NRA, who honestly I am surprised haven’t chimed in on this.
And then you have the court of public opinion, which didn’t create so much as a peep when Chris Kaman showed off his personal armory back in the era where people knew who Chris Kaman was.
The split between those who support Morant and decry Morant is about as split as this Divided States of America. There is no credence in support or decrying Morant unless you’re willing to jump in and help, offer solutions.
The biggest brand Morant is damaging is his own – Ja Morant.
As LeBron James continues his ever-so-slow slide toward the inevitability of having permanent brunches with Father Time, it’s been questioned – at least in my circle of pundits – who will be the next face of the NBA? 
In the ESPN, video game era, it’s been Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James.
Luka Doncic’s love for the game and talent seem poised to be one of the finalists, but he’s mired in mediocrity in Dallas. Giannis Antetokuonmpo’s integrity and earnest love for the game is also another strong consideration.
Morant’s athleticism brought an excitement and panache to the highlight reel not seen since Jordan’s early days and lent credence to the notion that he might be the next generational face of the NBA; now instead of being on NBA 2K24, he’s more apt to be featured on a Call of Duty: Street Warfare Edition.
And lose that “next face of the NBA” honor to “the best NBA prospect ever” – France’s Victor Wembanyana, who’s likely to leapfrog over Morant the way Morant does over opponents in the paint.
The only way that Morant can shoot that down is, ironically, by ditching the guns-in-videos motif that seems to define his life the first few months of 2023.
And getting some help.
Not from a country club shrink who tells superstars what they want to hear, but from people like Jackson, Anthony, and DeRozan, who will tell Morant what real gang life is like and why he doesn’t want to be a part of that culture – fo’ sho’ or for show. Real or not, it’s not a good path.
And there are three who I personally would like to see get intimately involved with Morant’s character, reputation, and resurrection of his young career:
From a veteran Grizzlies standpoint, we need Zach Randolph and Tony Allen mentoring this young man.
Randolph had ties to Hoop Family from his days in Portland, a splinter group from the Crips family having ties to murder, firearms, and narcotics distribution in the Rose City.
And Allen, one of the fiercest defenders in the NBA, who grew up in the tough streets of Chicago, where he admittedly hustled and moved drugs.
Lastly would be James, who – despite your opinion of him in the basketball side of life – was born to a 16 year old mom, had a father whose reputation was stained with criminal activity, yet grew up married his high school sweetheart, is not in any headlines where he’s been unfaithful to his wife, is a great father to his three kids, a philanthropist who gives back to his community and its young folks, and who has partnered with Carter, Paul, and Randy Mims.
The quartet is not only rich in business, having a sports agency, or buying stakes in English soccer teams, they’ve partnered for numerous business ventures despite growing up hustling sports jerseys out of the trunks of cars, or dropping out of college to become a Nike field rep.
They’ve produced everything from ‘The Decision’ to ‘The Shop’ on HBO. And, instead of videos throwing gang signs, finger guns, and real guns in IG Live videos, James is seen posting off-season workout videos of his own personal ‘gun show,’ building those “guns.”
James needs to intervene with one of his biggest rivals. 
That’s right – instead of waiting for Bronny James to do his one year at USC and pass the baton to him in the NBA, James could – and should – take time to mentor Morant, even though he’s a rival competitor, like Hakeem Olajuwon transformed James into the player he’s become today.
That act of unilateral generosity in itself could cement James as the G.O.A.T. and put Morant back on the straight narrow and allow him to pursue his own path of greatness or G.O.A.T.ness.
Pass the baton, LeBron.
Once he is armed with the proper counsel, right tools, and the unconditional love and support of his NBA peers, then it’s squarely on Morant’s shoulders.
The man in the mirror would approve, I believe … and that same joyous, young laugh and smile would be there.
Well-earned and unanimously approved of.
“To my fans, my family, my haters, my coach, the hard work, the game, the love, my hometown, my team, the laughter, tears, sweat, the drills, my community, my peers, my heroes, the competition, the spirit, to my daughter, to those I inspire, to those that doubt the process, the failures and the success, to everyone who was, is and will be with me – since Day 1.”
These people are all still here for you, Ja. And your audience has widened to the eyes and ears of the world.
All eyes on you. Counting on you. Praying for you. Cheering for you.
Day 1 is today, my friend.
********************
Tracy Graven is the Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com.
He has written the NBA, done NBA Radio, and appeared as a guest for the last 21+ years for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show, NBARadioShow.com, and is also tackling the NFL, NCAA, and will be pinch-hitting on some Major League Baseball coverage for BackSportsPage.
He’s spent 21 years in locker rooms in Orlando, Boise (CBA, G League), San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta.
A corporate trainer by day, he currently resides in SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia
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