What is Nike's statement on the Ja Morant fiasco?
Ja Morant was recently suspended for flashing a gun live on Instagram. Morant was partying at a nightclub on Saturday and decided to go live. While having fun with his friends and viewers, the Memphis Grizzlies star flashed a gun in the video. His inappropriate behavior left the NBA with no choice but to suspend him for at least two games.
It appears that Nike can't catch a break after deciding to sign Ja Morant to replace the controversial Kyrie Irving in hopes that they'll have a better-mannered point guard to represent the company. Unfortunately, it turned out otherwise given the actions Morant did last weekend. However, Nike took the situation surprisingly well and even seemed to be okay with what occurred.
Shams Charania reported on Twitter that Nike is appreciative of Morant's accountability. They even said that they're supportive of the necessary actions the Grizzlies star needs to take to clean up his act.
“We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs," Nike stated. "We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
Nike statement on Ja Morant: “We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
Will Nike cancel Ja Morant after his indecent actions?
Ja Morant is only playing in his 4th season and is already making waves in the NBA both positively and negatively. Morant has successfully carried the Memphis Grizzlies all season long to maintain one of the top spots in the West. They're currently sitting as the 2nd seed with a 38-24 record. Despite all the blessings he's had so far, it appears that Morant might crash and burn as fast as he rose.
Morant was recently accused of punching a 17-year-old last summer when he was playing a pick-up game at his house. The Grizzlies star admitted to his actions but was never punished for it. Now he's dealing with another issue, this time involving a gun that he flashed live on his Instagram video.
@ShamsCharania https://t.co/2x1hdlLNMN
Now that he's signed with Nike, this could hurt his chances of coming up with a newer model in his shoe line collection. The shoe company has expressed its support towards Morant, however, this could backfire in the end considering that many fans feel like what Ja did was worse compared to Kyrie Irving's actions. If push comes to shove, it's possible Nike could let go of the Grizzlies star.