The NBA is already investigating the incident involving the two-time All-Star.
Memphis Grizzlies’ All-Star guard Ja Morant is being hounded by three serious issues off the court. They are:
1. Threatening a mall cop
2. Assaulting a teen
3. Brandishing a gun while on Instagram Live
Morant is supposed to be the NBA’s next great point guard. His skills and athleticism are otherworldly. His team is doing well in the West. The 23-year-old high-flyer really has the potential to take the torch from the Steph Currys and the Chris Pauls sometime in the coming years—if he isn't doing it already.
The recent allegations against him, however, can seriously redirect his career trajectory in the opposite direction.
Take the Charlotte Hornets, for example. A couple of their promising players have severely damaged their careers by making a few undeniably terrible decisions.
James Bouknight
The 22-year-old point guard was picked 11th overall by the Hornets in the 2021 NBA Draft. On October 16, 2022, Bouknight was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was unconscious during his apprehension, and a gun was also found inside his car. This season, the Brooklyn native is averaging 4.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists—numbers unbefitting of a lottery selection.
Miles Bridges
The 24-year-old forward was having a career year in the 2021–22 season, posting 20.7 points, 7 boards, and 3.8 assists through 80 games. But, on June 29, 2022, Bridges was arrested for felony domestic violence. Allegedly, he hit his partner in front of their two children, causing injuries such as a concussion, a nasal fracture, and bruises, among others. The Michigan State product has yet to play a single NBA game since.
It appears that Morant is teetering between a straight path towards superstardom and a murky trail similar to what Bridges and Bouknight had come across. It would definitely be sad to see if the young Memphis star wouldn’t be able to get his act together.
That being said, the hope now is that Morant could put all these distractions behind him and just stay the course towards becoming one of the NBA leading torchbearers.