NBA star Ja Morant is at the center of a legal dispute with Memphis-based restaurant The Wing Guru, claiming over $365,000 in unpaid compensation and damages.
This conflict stems from a 2022 promotional contract between the Memphis Grizzlies player and the restaurant, which allegedly breached the agreement by ceasing payments while continuing to use Morant’s name and likeness in advertisements.
Contract Details And Alleged Breach
The contract, signed in January 2022, stipulated that Morant would receive $6,250 per month, totaling $75,000 annually, in exchange for the use of his image in advertising.
By March of that year, The Wing Guru reportedly stopped making payments but continued leveraging Morant’s brand for promotions in cities like Dallas, Houston, and Nashville.
In response, Morant’s team requested the restaurant cease using his image and rectify the outstanding balance.
Despite assurances from The Wing Guru that the $75,000 would be paid by January 2023, Morant claims no payment was made, prompting him to pursue legal action.
Arbitration Ruling In Morant’s Favor
The case went to arbitration, where a ruling in August 2024 sided with Morant. The arbitrator ordered The Wing Guru to pay $365,525.30, including:
- $43,750 for unpaid contract obligations,
- $225,000 in compensatory damages for unauthorized use of Morant’s likeness in three cities,
- $31,250 in punitive damages for advertising beyond the contract area, and
- Additional amounts for legal fees.
The arbitrator also granted an injunction preventing the restaurant from using Morant’s name or image in future advertisements.
Despite the ruling, The Wing Guru has yet to comply with the payment order.
Court records indicate that the restaurant did not respond to attempts to enforce the arbitrator’s decision, leading Morant’s attorneys to seek a Shelby County Chancery Court mandate to affirm the judgment.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Ja Morant comes from an athletic family – his parents Tee and Jamie both played basketball, with his father giving up a potential pro career overseas to become a barber when Jamie became pregnant with Ja, while his younger sister Teniya now plays college basketball at Mississippi Valley State.
- Born in Dalzell, South Carolina in 1999, Morant developed his skills through backyard training sessions with his father, who taught him specialized moves and used creative methods like tractor tires to improve his jumping ability while maintaining the mindset of fearlessly competing against bigger players.
- The NBA star, who admires Russell Westbrook for their shared experience of being underestimated, has both a daughter born in 2019 and a meaningful tattoo on his left arm reading “beneath no one” – words of wisdom from his mother.
