“Our money as a family is not going toward that”: Michael Wilbon says Ja Morant’s shoe not allowed in his home after latest gun flashing controversy
Michael Wilbon isn't allowing Ja Morant's shoe in his home after the Memphis Grizzlies star got caught up in another controversy. Morant was spotted flaunting a gun on his Instagram live on Saturday (May 13).
Morant was suspended for exactly the same offense in March this year. He flaunted a gun during an Instagram live video at a Denver strip club on March 3 and was suspended by the league for eight games without pay.
Here's what ESPN's Michael Wilbon said during the "NBA Countdown" and his personal stand towards Ja Morant:
"You can try to PR your way out of this through other social media forms and all of that. But the question is, is he going to do the work, that is required of himself to get out of this and for this not to be the end.
Cause' what's gonna happen now, is Nike gonna pull that shoe? Is Powerade gonna pull that drink, I know in my house I told Mathew, you can't have the shoe. I'm not buying that shoe... Our money as a family is not going toward that."
Listen to Wilbon's comments starting from the 8:20 mark.
Ja Morant is one of the prominent players in the NBA with a significant influence on young athletes pursuing professional basketball. He has had multiple endorsements since he was 19 and entered the league as a lottery pick four years ago.
In December 2022, Nike even released Ja's own line of shoes, the Ja 1. However, Morant's the repeated occurrence of Morant's off-court actions has created outrage among NBA circles. Michael Wilbon has expressed his feelings by not allowing his son to buy the Grizzlies star's shoes.
Akin to Wilbon, more fans will be concerned about Morant's following and the negative impact he could have on them. Due to that, there have been demands for a heavy punishment for the two-time All-Star.
League review underway as Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant from all team activities
The Memphis Grizzlies suspended Ja Morant from all team activities upon pending review by the NBA regarding his latest Instagram live video. The Grizzlies didn't waste any time as they took action against Morant hours after the video went viral on Sunday morning.
JaMorant https://t.co/XqJFwEOHTj
Adam Silver put out a strong statement the last time Morant was suspended for similar misconduct. If that's anything to go by, the NBA will likely impose heavy fines and lengthier suspension than just eight games.
Here's what Silver said:
"Ja's conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous. It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him."
Ja Morant was potentially on his way to becoming the face of the league in the near future. The 23-year-old has a massive following. He was one of the most liked players after a remarkable run of performances in the 2021-22 season when he claimed the Most Improved Player award.
However, his image has taken a significant hit over the last few months, with multiple off-court controversies overshadowing his efforts on the court.