Ja Morant injury: Grizzlies superstar gives latest update on shoulder issue with 'scary' warning for rivals
Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant provided an update on his right shoulder injury on Thursday. The 2xNBA All-Star missed a major chunk of the 2023-24 season due to multiple reasons. Morant served a 25-game suspension to begin the season after he was punished by the league for brandishing a gun on Instagram Live.
The 2022 Most Improved Player returned to the court after serving his ban and looked like a man on a mission, hungry to prove a point. After dazzling the hoops fans with his spectacular plays and athleticism for nine games, Morant suffered a season-ending injury. Morant suffered a torn labrum in practice and had to undergo surgery in January 2024.
Morant, who is accustomed to wowing fans with his acrobatic plays, is gearing up to mark his return to the NBA during the upcoming season. The 24-year-old fired a warning to the opposition players while talking about his recovery.
"I’m really fully ready to go, it’s just building endurance now. So if I had to pick a number, I'd say probably 75%, and I feel like that's still scary for whoever's in front of me," Morant told WPSD Local 6 News.
Morant averaged 25.1 points in the nine games he played last season. He was excellent when it came to creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. He averaged 8.1 assists per game along with 5.6 rebounds. The Grizzlies point guard shot 81.3% from the free throw line.
With Morant on the court, Memphis had a 6-3 record in nine games.
Ja Morant was cleared for basketball activities earlier in July
Morant was cleared to take part in all basketball activities after undergoing rehabilitation for 5 months. In the upcoming NBA season, the fans might witness the best version of Ja Morant.
Morant was seen as one of the faces of the league, especially after his back-to-back stellar seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23. In the 2021-22 season, the point guard recorded his best performance. Morant averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
While Morant's scoring saw a slight dip in the 2022-23 season when he averaged 26.2 points, there was a spike in the point guard's rebounds (5.9) and assists (8.1) tally.
The 2xNBA All-Star's off-field antics and shenanigans have seen his stock slide drastically.
Having said that, Morant can bury the demons of the past with a sizzling display in the upcoming season. His explosiveness, box-office demeanor and confidence are all the quintessential traits of a superstar.