Fact check: Is Ryan Gosling starring in the 'Ja Morant' movie? Debunking viral rumors about the Grizzlies star

Ryan Gosling playing Ja Morant in a likely biopic has created a buzz in the sports and entertainment world on social media. Gosling has been the toast of the movie world over the past few weeks along with Margot Robbie for the film Barbie.

Buttcrack Sports, known for trolling athletes on Twitter, recently took another hilarious shot not at the actor but at the Memphis Grizzlies guard.

Morant will serve a 25-game suspension at the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. “G12” had a second gun-toting incident that quickly went viral. In the first one, Commissioner Adam Silver only gave him an eight-game suspension.

The supposed movie featuring Ryan Gosling almost unsurprisingly had a firearm in the photo. Inscribed in the gun are the words, “adam the creator.” The movie is jokingly purported to be part of the Sundance Festival.

While the film is assuredly a fake, the impact of Morant’s suspension on the Grizzlies will be all too real. The team made a few significant moves to address its biggest issue once the season starts. They recently acquired Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal.

Boston’s former heart and soul will be a big boost to their lineup, particularly in terms of leadership and accountability. He is a veteran who knows what it takes to play in the toughest situations. Perhaps his presence on the floor will be enough to keep the Grizzlies afloat until Ja Morant returns.

Derrick Rose is another respected figure that’s been introduced into the roster. He will help keep the team steady and ready on and off the court while Morant is serving his suspension.

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A Ja Morant movie may interest many

Ja Morant’s rise from a relatively unknown basketball prospect in high school to one of the biggest stars in the NBA may be Hollywood-worthy. Ryan Gosling, however, would be hard-pressed to get that role.

Morant’s story, though, deserves the attention of not just basketball fans. Despite a superb Crestwood High School career, where he was a three-time All-Region MVP, not many scouts have him in their prospect rankings.

The only major basketball program in college to give him an offer was South Carolina. He eventually played for Murray State, the school that discovered him by accident.

From being a relative unknown, he rose to become almost the best player heading into the 2019 NBA Draft. If not for Zion Williamson, his former AAU teammate, he may have been the first pick of the said draft.

Ja Morant, however, won the Rookie of the Year and just went from strength to strength. He became a two-time All-Star and signed one of the biggest contracts in the NBA.

“G12” was one of the poster boys of the league until trouble came calling. He has been reportedly part of several off-court issues. The viral video that came out in May while he was with longtime friend Davonte Pack forced the NBA to suspend him for 25 games.

A redemption story is not out of his league. A Ja Morant biopic might just be something sports and entertainment fans will be willing to watch, whether it features Ryan Gosling or not.

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