Recent controversy has surrounded one of the NBA’s most prominent young superstars Ja Morant. Through a series of poor decisions, Morant has gotten himself into legal trouble with the league. Being one of the most marketable players in the association, with his flashy playstyle, Morant was awarded a Nike signature shoe line in light of Kyrie Irving’s questionable actions. Garnering interest from many young fans across the world, people look up to Morant and follow his actions on social media. Popularizing an NFL celebration known as the griddy, Morant went viral on a variety of social media platforms. With Ja’s platform, he has made numerous mistakes that have jeopardized his career and ruined his image. Kian Salehani, a seventh-grade student at CDM talked about how “I really enjoy playing basketball, and Ja was one of the first people I looked up to. Flashing a gun on his Instagram was a big mistake. I hope he can take some time to reflect on his actions and move on.”

On February 15th, after talking with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and enrolling in a Florida counseling program, Ja apologized for his mistakes in an ESPN interview with NBA analyst Jalen Rose. “Ja Morant is one of my favorite players to watch highlights of and I look forward to seeing him back on the court. His dunking abilities are truly unique and are something we have never seen before. I hope that he takes full accountability and moves on,” added Preston Kousoulas. “Maturing is important for young athletes, and I hope Ja will learn from this experience in the future.” Ja Morant has yet to return to the court, and fans across the NBA community, for the fun he brings to the game, hope that he will come back more determined than ever to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a deep playoff run.