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Ja Morant on Tuesday explained the reason behind him recently entering counseling.
Morant was suspended for eight games and returned to the Memphis Grizzlies bench on Monday as Memphis topped the Dallas Mavericks 112-108. He did not suit up but received a standing ovation from the crown before tip-off. He was eligible to play after serving the suspension but is now expected to return against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Morant spoke about why he entered counseling. The 23-year old is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the NBA. He was averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists and 6 rebounds per game before the suspension.
Morant said that he was having trouble coping with stress:
“I don’t have an alcohol problem, never had an alcohol problem. I went there for counseling, to learn how to manage stress, to cope with stress in, you know, a positive way, instead of the ways, you know, I have tried to deal with it before and caused damage or made mistakes.”
Why was Ja Morant suspended?
The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant for eight games without pay after he flashed a gun on a live Instagram video. The incident took place after the team's 113-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 3. Morant visited a nightclub in Colorado and went live on Instagram, displaying a firearm in the early morning of March 4.
The video went viral, prompting investigations by both the police and the NBA. The league found that the firearm didn't belong to Morant and was only briefly displayed, leading to the suspension. The suspension also included games he had already missed, and he was eligible to return to the team on Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
This incident isn't the only controversy Morant has been involved in lately. In May 2022, he threatened to shoot a Twitter troll, and a few weeks later, he allegedly beat up a teenage boy at his home. He also threatened the head of security at a Memphis mall and was involved in an incident against the Indiana Pacers, where a laser was pointed at the opposing team from a vehicle carrying Morant.
The league's investigation concluded that no firearms were involved, which helped the player avoid further action. However, one of Ja Morant's friends has been banned from attending home games for a year.
Guess the Lakers players!
