Ahead of his return to play with the Memphis Grizzlies, Ja Morant opened up about his gun scandal controversy and his subsequent suspension because of all the issues he’s involved in. The young guard admitted that it was a painful period for him, adding that being away from the team was the most difficult part of the process.

Morant acknowledged that he made a “terrible decision,” but he has since reflected and learned from it. However, he couldn’t deny that spending time away from his teammates made the whole ordeal more disheartening.

The Grizzlies star added that he has said sorry to his teammates through text messages, but he knows it’s not enough and plans to show his sincere apology through his actions.

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“Being away from my teammates is what hurt me the most. I sent messages apologizing, but it’s better to talk in person. Being able to be back here helps,” Morant explained, per team reporter Michael Wallace.

Ja Morant has been made available to play for the Grizzlies on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, and sure enough, he’s just excited to get back to the court and put the tumultuous past few weeks behind him.

Morant appears to be in good spirits when he made his first public appearance with the Grizzlies on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks. He celebrated along with his teammates and just looked happy overall. Here’s to hoping that the 23-year-old star has really learned his lesson. After all, with the playoffs nearing, the last thing the team needs is another unnecessary distraction.