In a classy gesture to show their apology over the recent fan incident, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith apparently provided the family of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant with Game 5 courtside tickets, lodging and other accommodation to host them while in Salt Lake City.
Per Malika Andrews and Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the father of Ja, Tee Morant, confirmed the “nice gesture” from the Jazz owner. However, Tee also noted that his wife and the mother of the Grizzlies youngster, Jamie, decided not to go with them because of anxiety over what happened.
“It was a nice gesture from the Jazz,” Tee Morant told ESPN in a phone interview. “It was unfortunate. It was just a few fans — most of them were great and cheering right alongside with us.”
To recall, in Game 2 of the Grizzlies-Jazz series, three Utah fans were banned indefinitely after heckling and showing disrespectful behavior to Ja Morant's family. According to witness reports, several inappropriate words were hurled towards Morant’s wife and his family.
The father of the Grizzlies star also said that the culprits made sexually explicit remarks to his wife. One reportedly said: “I’ll put a nickel in your back and watch you dance, boy,’ in front of his own daughter.”
After the incident, the Jazz owner tweeted an apology and admitted they were “embarrassed” and really “sorry” for the incident. Ryan Smith also emphasized they don't tolerate such behavior.
Memphis Grizzlies and Morant family… we are embarrassed and sorry. The @UtahJazz have zero tolerance for offensive behavior. We are committed to creating a respectful, competitive environment. https://t.co/cLsKWSk1l1
— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) May 28, 2021
Hopefully, Morant's family will have a better experience this time around when the Grizzlies face the Jazz on Wednesday. After all, NBA playoff basketball is a fun time and should be enjoyed.
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