Last Tuesday (19), through social networks and official websites, Ja Morant returned to the basketball courts in the match between Memphis Grizzlies against New Orleans Pelicans, obtaining victory for his team and shining with a spectacular performance marked by 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
++ Andor season 2 is postponed and will no longer be released in 2024
“I’m a dog, I work. I have worked. I haven’t played in eight months, I’ve had a lot of time to learn on my own. Many difficult days I went through. Basketball is my life, what I love. Therapeutic for me, I’m excited to be back”, said the athlete before performing an excellent comeback performance.
++ Parliamentarians warn President Biden about “European persecution” aimed at technology giants
The reason for Ja Morant’s removal from his team, the Memphis Grizzlies, is related to his misconduct off the court when he was involved in promoting, publishing, and sharing firearms. Given the repercussions and investigation into the athlete, the NBA decided to suspend him for 25 games at the start of the 2023-2024 season.
“Ja Morant’s decision to once again brandish a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct to March, for which he has already been suspended for eight games. The possibility of other young people imitating Ja’s conduct is particularly worrying. Under these circumstances, we believe a 25-game suspension is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with weapons will not be tolerated,” the official NBA statement said.
Immediately, after the league’s decision, the athlete issued a statement apologizing to those involved. “I promised I will be better. For all my sponsors, I will be a better representation of our brands. And to all my fans, I will make it up to you. I hope you give me the chance to prove over time that I am a better man than I have shown you,” he said.