ESPN pundit Michael Wilbon says he won’t let his son buy Ja Morant’s signature Nike shoes after the memphis grizzlies The star was suspended over the weekend for displaying a weapon in an online video.
Morant, what was suspended for the second time this season for a similar incident, he was seen brandishing a gun in a video on Instagram Live on Saturday night.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) handles the ball against Portland Trail Blazers guard Skylar Mays (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 4 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
“This is up to Ja. This is up to him,” Wilbon said during Sunday’s broadcast of “NBA Countdown.”
GRIZZLIES’ JA MORANT APPEARS FLASH GUN ON LIVESTREAM, SUSPENDED FROM TEAM ACTIVITIES
“There are people who could be close to him who are going to have to help him get out of this. We hear about four or five days or eight days or whatever at some facility in Florida, that’s a joke. That’s public relations,” Wilbon said. de Morant checking himself into a stress management clinic after his suspension in March.
“So you could try to get out of this through other forms of social media and all that. But the question is, are you going to do the work that’s required of yourself to get out of this and for this not to be the final?”
Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers of Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at FedExForum on April 26, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Wilbon continued: “Because what’s going to happen now? Is Nike going to bring out that shoe? Is Powerade going to bring out that drink? I know at my house, I told Matthew, ‘You can’t have the shoe. I’m not going to buy that shoe. You’re not going to buy that shoe. Our money as a family isn’t going to go towards that.’ So I’m not the only one who’s going to feel that way.”
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The Grizzlies issued a statement Sunday announcing that Morant would be suspended for an undisclosed period of time pending “league review.”
This comes less than three months after the 23-year-old star was slapped with an eight-game suspension after he went on his own Instagram Live and appeared to brandish a weapon at a Denver nightclub.
He also lost $669,000 in salary as a result.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum on December 31, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
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“He’s so smart, talk about intelligence, you listen to Ja Morant after the game, I mean, the level of commitment and the intellect is unmistakable,” Wilbon added. “Though this whole fake gangster thing that I thought we were over as a culture a few years ago, I guess he and his guys haven’t gotten over it. And it’s just sad. It’s sad.”
Morant’s first signature shoe with Nike was unveiled in December. The shoes were scheduled to be released on April 1, but according to Sports Illustrated, the date was pushed back a couple of weeks.