Ja Morant has been making headlines for the wrong reasons of late after being seen on social media waving a gun on a live stream. The Memphis Grizzlies star has seen his public image take a beating – and for good reason. His most recent transgression landed him a suspension from the Grizzlies that is set to last for at least the next two games.
ESPN host Stephen A. Smith took the opportunity to send Morant a message on where his career is headed if he keeps on his current path. Smith prefaced his message by stating that he respects Morant's statement on the matter and his words come from a place of support, before dishing him a serious reality check.
He first compared the situation to that of Allen Iverson, who's also known to associate himself with controversial figures, and one key difference Smith noted between the two.
“When you look at Ja Morant, the one thing that I find incredibly alarming, there was so much stuff that Allen Iverson took hits for that had nothing to do with him but everything to do with the company he kept. … In this particular instance, that's Ja on film. That's Ja that you see on the TMZ video. He had no choice but to own that,” said Stephen A.
Smith then went on to address Morant directly.
“Let me look in the camera and say what I'm about to say to Ja Morant. You are a superstar. You're 23 years old. You've got a deal that kicks in next year that could exceed $231 million over the next five years. And on this show, on national television, there's you associated with police. Think about that for a second and then ask yourself, ‘is it really, really worth it?' You know the answer to that, bro.”
I covered Allen Iverson for the first 10 years of his career. He took a lot of hits for the company he kept.
Ja Morant’s fault is his own, and I’m proud of him for owning it.
But he needs to get it together. pic.twitter.com/hDqLYNzmUo
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 5, 2023
Ja Morant was already at the center of controversy before the gun fiasco, stemming from allegations linking him to two separate instances of violence. With the Grizzlies seen as serious contenders this season with plenty left to prove on the court, fans want nothing but for their superstar to stick to fights and battles within the hardwood, both for the team and his career at-large.
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