The Grizzlies’ star player Ja Morant didn’t play the Tuesday night game against the Suns and will miss a couple more games. For now, the NBA player is nursing a shoulder injury he suffered against the Pelicans.
Morant, 25, the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, has become a controversial figure in the past six seasons in the NBA.
From waving his gun on Instagram Live to punching a teenager, Morant loves making headlines for his off-court antics as much as his on-court talent.
Undoubtedly, the South Carolina native is one of the most talented and athletic young players in the NBA today. Despite Morant’s slew of controversies, Adam Silver knows that if he wants more eyes on games, players like Ja must play more.
The past two seasons have been no less than a rollercoaster ride for the Grizzlies and Ja.
In 2022, he signed a five-year $197 million deal with the Grizzlies, projected to exceed $230 million by the end of his contract.
Morant went on to average 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds and made the NBA All-Star team in back-to-back seasons. That same season, Morant was suspended for 33 games for two incidents, both involving him flashing the gun.
After serving his suspension, Morant started his 2023 season in December but suffered a season-ending injury a month later. So, in 2024, Morant had a point to prove that he could remain out of controversies and lead the Grizzlies to playoffs.
So far, Ja has managed to stay out of controversies and show his actual skills on the court. But injuries have constantly nagged Morant this season, resulting in him missing out on 13 games.
Is Ja Morant Allright? When Will The Point Guard Return?
On December 31, 2024, the Grizzlies announced their star player, Ja Morant, is, in fact, not all right.
The Grizzlies said Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder.
The injury occurred during the Grizzlies’ game against the Pelicans on December 27.
But the good news is that it isn’t a long-term injury and that the point guard is considered week-to-week.
Morant injured his shoulder by running into Pelcians’ player Daniel Theis on a screen.
Fans began to worry about Ja’s shoulder injury after he was seen in a sling at the Grizzlies’ game against the Thunders on December 29.
The @memgrizz today announced the following medical update for Ja Morant: pic.twitter.com/23eKerTN6j
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) December 31, 2024
It was a shoulder injury that put Ja out of the 2023 season, causing the Grizzlies fans to panic.
In 2023, after returning from his 25-game suspension, Morant featured in nine games before becoming unavailable against the Suns.
The Grizzlies listed Morant as questionable with shoulder soreness, and Morant didn’t suit up for the game.
Later that week, the Grizzlies announced that Morant had suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury and would have to undergo surgery.
The team stated that Morant suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder during his training session.
With Morant out, the Grizzlies failed to make the playoffs. So, with Morant once again out with a right shoulder injury, it was bound to give the Grizzlies fans the PTSD of last season.
Ja Morant Vows Not To Dunk Too Much This Season
At the start of December 2024, Morant told reporters that he was done dunking and was serious about it.
Known for his iconic dunks against several NBA players, Morant explained he had taken the step so that he doesn’t stay injured for too long. Ja said,
Sometimes I get knocked outthat air and [a foul] don’t get called, and now I’m out longer than what I’m supposed to be. Sometimes the foul might get called; I still hit the floor, but after the game you might feel that little fall.
via: ESPN
Till December 4, 2024, Morant had only dunked four times in 12 games.
In his first six games, he had only attempted one dunk, and several Grizzlies fans were happy to see that their star player was trying to preserve himself.
But three days after telling the media that he won’t dunk, Morant went back on his words.
Against the reigning NBA Champions, Boston Celtics, Morant threw a reverse double clutch jam over two players, causing an uproar at the TD Garden.
Previously, Morant was asked if he would appear in the All-Star Weekend dunk contest.
Morant said he is focused on what he can do for his team and get 100% healthy.
So, as Ja nurses his current injury, we might not see spectacular dunks this season from the NBA superstar.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Ja Morant’s dad, Tee Morant, played basketball in high school with Ray Allen and later played basketball at Clafin University. He gave up on his basketball career after his wife became pregnant with Ja and chose family over it.
- In May 2024, Morant was rumored to be dating Shyanne Mauri Carr, an aspiring rapper/singer.
