“History is not looking at him favorably” - Shannon Sharpe reacts to Ja Morant’s concerning Instagram story
Everyone in the sports media world is commenting on the recent incidents from Memphis Grizzlies player Ja Morant. FOX Sports commentator Shannon Sharpe was the latest as he offered guidance to the troubled superstar on his show “Undisputed with Skip & Shannon”.
“Ja (Morant) needs to take this time for himself. And think about how he wants his NBA career to be and how he wants to be remembered. Right now history is not looking at him favorably,” Sharpe said.
“Ja Morant needs to take this time for himself. Think about what he wants his NBA career to be and how he wants to be remembered.”
@ShannonSharpe reacts to Ja Morant’s latest cryptic Instagram story https://t.co/l14ttcGTd4
Why was Morant suspended again?
Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies once again after an Instagram Live video saw him flashing a gun. Morant was suspended earlier this season in March after a similar video was posted on his Instagram account showing Morant flashing a gun while at a Denver nightclub.
Ja Morant sparked new concern after posting multiple stories of his family on his Instagram stories. The recently suspended Morant shared pictures of his mother, father, sister and daughter, expressing his love for each family member. Morant then ended the stories with a picture of himself and the caption “bye”.
Sharpe went on to say that he hopes Morant gets the help he needs to make his comeback.
“Hopefully this time around he gets the counseling, attention and help that he needs,” Sharpe said.
He also knows what Morant may be wasting if he allows his career to go off the rails. Shape warned the superstar to reign it in.
“Ja you have been blessed tenfold. Don’t blow this blessing,” Sharpe added.
As a former athlete, Sharpe offered an outlook on Morant’s comeback. He said nothing is more important than getting back to the court for Morant so he should do whatever it takes to get back on track.
Police did a welfare check on Ja Morant this morning after his concerning social media posts, per @TMZ_Sports
They said he’s fine and he told them he’s just “taking a break from social media” https://t.co/iFDWnuS0Nh
“When you are a professional athlete, the most important thing is your sport. It is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and all the hard work you and a lot of other people put in,” Sharpe said. “You are going to do everything you can to get back to what you love as soon as possible.”
Morant has had some issues with his endorsements since his incidents. He had an upcoming campaign with Powerade, owned by the Coca-Cola Company, paused after his first gun incident.
Nike stuck by Morant after the first incident and released his signature shoe soon after. However, they soon paused their relationship with Morant and pulled his shoe from their online store. Sharpe said he does not blame companies for cutting ties with Morant.
“These companies are saying, that is not the image we want to project. That is not the image we want to be a part of. That is not the image we want to be associated with,” Sharpe said.
Morant was suspended indefinitely by the Grizzlies. The league office has not yet issued a punishment following Morant’s recent video. He was suspended eight games for his first incident in March. He reportedly may be facing a 25-game suspension from the NBA front office.