ja morant

Ja Morant Returns To Memphis Grizzlies, Coach Hopes He’ll Play Wednesday

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Ja Morant made his return to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday (March 20), seeing his teammates after nearly three weeks. Moreover, head coach Taylor Jenkins called it a “good first day back,” expressing hope that he’ll play as early as Wednesday. For those not caught up, Morant faced suspension for a video of him flashing a gun at a strip club after a history of other controversial actions. Furthermore, Jenkins said that the 23-year-old addressed his team at large and fellow players upon his arrival. After much discussion around his behavior, the guard vowed to rectify his mindset and outlook.

What’s more is that Morant followed up on his promise, checking into a counseling program in Florida. Since his departure, the two-time All Star’s statements indicate that he’s ready and able to turn his image around. Moreover, one important aspect of his public retribution was his sit-down interview with Jalen Rose. During that conversation, he addressed the viral video, stating that the gun in question was not his. Despite that, he took accountability for his actions.

Ja Morant Makes His Return To The Memphis Grizzlies

“The gun wasn’t mine,” he expressed. “It’s not who I am. I don’t condone any type of violence, but I’ve taken responsibility for my actions. But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about, and change this narrative that everybody got. I used that as an escape, which I shouldn’t have. I feel like that’s the reason I made many bad decisions in my past, which doesn’t pretty much describe me, doesn’t describe Ja as a person.

“I’m a totally different person than what’s been shown in the media,” he continued. “That’s my job now. That’s why I took that time away, to become a better Ja, so everybody really can see who Ja really is and you know what he’s about.” Also, his return is quite timely, as the Grizzlies’ Wednesday match against the Houston Rockets could push them further in the Western Conference playoffs. With that in mind, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Ja Morant.

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Matt Barnes’s Advice To Ja Morant & NBA Players: “Don’t Tell On Yourself”

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As a former NBA star, Matt Barnes knows all too well the repercussions that arise from destructive behaviors. Whether those infractions occur on the court, on reality television, or surface online, it’s difficult for sports players to recover from the backlash. The beginning of 2023 shaped up to be a rough season for Ja Morant, but the young baller is determined to turn things around. Several basketball veterans have stepped forward with advice, and Barnes adds his name to the list of those with words of wisdom.

TMZ ran into the former Los Angeles Lakers star while he was out and about and asked him if he believed Morant could bounce back. “I hope so,” he said. “One of my favorite players in the league. I love Ja and what he brings to the table. You know, got a little ahead of himself with some stuff, and that happens when you’re young with the world in the palm of your hand. I just want to send him love, let him know we love him. We miss him. And we need him back.” The All the Smoke podcast host also dished out advice for other NBA players who may want to enjoy themselves a bit too much off-court. “Don’t tell on yourself, man.”

Matt Barnes Issues a Warning

“Watch out for cameras,” Barnes added. “It was a different—we were just talkin’ about in the interview. Everything is—the second you step out of your house, you’re being recorded these days. Stay cognizant and aware of your surroundings.” It’s advice Morant could have used before his unraveling of scandals unfolded. He was accused of brandishing a firearm during an altercation with a 17-year-old during a pick-up game. Later, the Memphis Grizzlies star flashed a gun while on Instagram Live. As if that wasn’t enough, amid the controversy, images of Morant receiving a lapdance, surrounded by cash, were leaked to social media.

In a recent interview with Jalen Rose for ESPN’s NBA Countdown, Morant seemed determined to prove naysayers wrong. “The gun wasn’t mine,” he told Rose. “It’s not who I am. I don’t condone any type of violence, but I’ve taken responsibility for my actions. But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about, and change this narrative that everybody got.” Check out more from Matt Barnes above, including his take on the Sacramento Kings.

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Ja Rule Thinks Hip-Hop Music May Have Influenced Ja Morant After His Gun Video Led To An NBA Suspension

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ja rule irv gotti
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Recently, Chicago Bulls guard Patrick Beverley said that rap music may have had something to do with a video that surfaced earlier this month and showed Memphis Grizzlies all-star Ja Morant flashing a gun. Beverley said, “I think it’s the music, man. I ain’t bashing the music ’cause I’m listening to that sh*t, too. […] It’s not part of my life. It’s a part of a lot of people I know, though, so I can relate. ‘My homie used to do that, my homie got locked up for doing that, or my homie in jail for doing that or my homie died from doing that.’”

Then, when speaking with Ja Rule, a TMZ interviewer mentioned what Beverley said and asked if there was any validity to it. Rule responded, “I’m sure there is.”

He continued, “Hip-hop is very influential. I’ve done things in my youth because of hip-hop, you know? Redman made “How To Roll A Blunt,” we started smoking blunts! Snoop made “Gin & Juice,” we started drinking gin and juice! So hip-hop is very influential, I’m not going to say it’s not. How far people take it is what it is, but the thing with Ja… I just hope he has better people around him to just let him know that ain’t the way. ‘Go play ball, man. Do you, man. The streets ain’t about nothing, man.’”

Rule concluded, “We all make mistakes, man. I made plenty when I was young. So, it happens. People gotta get up off him right now and let him do his healing process, come back, and ball out.”

Ja Rule Discusses Ja Morant, Says Hip-Hop Negatively Influenced His Actions

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Ja’s looking out for Ja this week, even though he did so by piggybacking off of a controversial take concerning the basketball player. Moreover, Ja Rule recently agreed with Patrick Beverly that hip-hop and rap culture negatively influenced Ja Morant’s actions. For those not yet caught up, the Grizzlies star faced police investigation and an NBA suspension after a video surfaced of him flashing a gun while going out. After Beverly said that music was partly to blame, many pushed back against conflating art for a co-sign of wrongful behavior. Regardless, Rule is a rapper himself, and a big one at that, so his take was interesting.

When asked by TMZ about the situation, the Queens rapper said that rap music influenced him to go down incorrect paths. For example, he said he started smoking weed because of Redman’s “How To Roll A Blunt.” Also, he pointed to Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” as the song that drove him to drink alcohol. As such, he believed Morant took note in similar ways, and the 47-year-old said “that ain’t the way.”

Ja Rule Speaks On Ja Morant

“Go play ball, man,” he told the publication when they found him at LAX this week. “The streets ain’t about nothing, man. Go grind on ’em. Keep balling. That’s it, man.” Unfortunately, this is far from the first time that the basketball star in question faced police investigation and brushes with controversy. While he dodged charges on both occasions he faced such in the past calendar year, this instance really blew the lid on his image. However, the 23-year-old recently spoke to Jalen Rose about moving past his missteps.

“I used that as an escape, which I shouldn’t have,” the Grizzlies guard remarked. “I feel like that’s the reason I made many bad decisions in my past, which doesn’t pretty much describe me. [It] doesn’t describe Ja as a person. I’m a totally different person than what’s been shown in the media. That’s my job now. That’s why I took that time away, to become a better Ja. So everybody really can see who Ja really is and you know what he’s about.” Regardless of your take on that, stay logged into HNHH for the latest on Ja Rule and Ja Morant.

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Powerade Apparently Redid NLE Choppa’s March Madness Commercial Following Ja Morant’s Infamous Gun Video

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NLE Choppa is clearing the air on recent rumors.

According to TMZ, Choppa’s latest single, “Mo Up Front,” was supposed to play in a commercial accompanying Powerade’s “What 50% More Means” campaign, which heavily featured Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. The commercials was reportedly set to air during the NCAA March Madness.

However, the commercial was reportedly pulled after Morant shared a video of him waving a gun on Instagram live.

Despite the whole ordeal, TMZ is reporting that he and Morant still maintain a close relationship. Today (March 18), Choppa took to his Instagram story to address previous reports that he had lost the deal with Powerade.

According to the Memphis rapper, the commercial was, in fact, not pulled, but actually redone.

“Ja ain’t block a blessing,” Choppa said, “what’s meant to shine will shine. The commercial was recreated and is live now.”

He continued, offering words of support for Morant.

“He’s all good and is still learning,” he said, “he’ll come back better than before.”

NLE Choppa
Via Instagram

Next month, Choppa will release his much-anticipated album, Cottonwood 2, which will feature “Mo Up Front,” “Champions,” and the Rose Royce-sampling “Do It Again.”

Cottonwood 2 is out 4/14 via Warner Records. Find more information here.

NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ja Morant Suspension Makes NLE Choppa Lose His Powerade Deal

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Ja Morant’s suspension bled over into many aspects of the entertainment world, including a Powerade ad with NLE Choppa. Not only was the ad featuring Morant itself pulled, but Choppa’s new track “Mo Up Front” was meant to be used as its soundtrack. Following the Grizzlies player’s gun-flashing incident, though, it seems like both lost their chance at the bag. Of course, it’s beyond NLE’s control, which is unfortunate considering that he’s not a massive commercial star when compared to other ad-frequenting artists. This could’ve really boosted his profile and brand, although he’ll likely have more opportunities like this in the future.

Moreover, TMZ reported the news and heard from sources close to their camps that the ad was part of Ja and Powerade’s “What 50% More Means” campaign. In addition, the ad highlighted March Madness in the NCAA. After the basketball star’s suspension and subsequent investigations, such plans fell through. However, TMZ‘s sources reported that the two are still good friends, have a good rapport, and maintain a relationship. After all, the Memphis rapper walked the Grizzlies out for their opening home game, so his fandom runs deep.

NLE Choppa Loses Powerade Spot With Ja Morant

In fact, the “Shotta Flow” MC will participate in the team’s celebrity basketball game on Monday (March 20). Not only should it be a fun and celebratory occasion, but it will also benefit St. Jude’s Hospital. On the musical end of things, the artist will give fans a lot of heat very soon. Apparently, his upcoming track with Lil Wayne drops next week, titled “Ain’t Gonna Answer.” What’s more is that it’ll be the last (or one of the last) singles before the April release of his next album Cottonwood 2.

Meanwhile, Morant’s situation also prompted the Memphis NBA team to change their travel protocols for the sake of the players. It seems like the team at large often got into trouble at the road. Furthermore, its players will not be allowed to stay overnight at cities they travel to. Instead, they must hit the road immediately after a game to their next destination. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below and return to HNHH for the latest on NLE Choppa and Ja Morant.

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Ja Morant’s IG Account From When He Was 13 Gets Dug Up By Internet Detectives

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Ja Morant is the biggest story in the NBA right now. Overall, it feels like the discourse around Morant has reached bizarre heights. Firstly, he was accused of threatening teenagers and mall cops, on multiple occasions. Subsequently, he flashed a gun while on Instagram Live which ultimately got him suspended by the league. This week, it was revealed that the suspension would be for eight games. Moreover, the league said that Morant could return to action on March 20th, which is Monday.

Morant also had an interview with Jalen Rose where he spoke about his wrongdoings. “The gun wasn’t mine. It’s not who I am,” Ja Morant said. “I don’t condone any type of violence, but I’ve taken responsibility for my actions. But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about, and change this narrative that everybody got.” Now, however, Morant is under the microscope yet again as some internet sleuths found an Instagram account he had when he was 13. Needless to say, the man cannot catch a break right now.

Ja Morant On Instagram

As you can see in the tweets above, the dates on these IG posts are from just over 10 years ago. They are mostly just a collection of selfies from Ja Morant, who went by the username @soexclusive12_. Additionally, Morant is being roasted for his NSFW captions. In one caption, he writes “I jus wanna f*ck yo bestfriend, for one night only.” These are mostly just song lyrics, however, Twitter users couldn’t help but laugh at a 13-year-old writing all of this stuff. At the end of the day, it really is not a big deal, as kids will be kids.

For now, Ja Morant seems focused on getting back to the court and showing people what he can do. Hopefully, he is able to stay out of trouble, as we would hate to see him regress back to old habits. Based on the Grizzlies’ new protocols, it seems like he is in good hands. Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

Grizzlies Change Road Trip Protocols Amid Ja Morant Controversy

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If you have been following the Memphis Grizzlies this season, you know that things have been pretty difficult for them as of late. Overall, they are a team that is up there in the Western Conference. However, the controversy surrounding Ja Morant certainly put an end to their reign of terror. Morant is going to miss a total of eight games due to suspension, and there are rumblings that their chemistry could be out of wack. The distractions are mounting up, and the team has been tasked with doing something about it.

In fact, distractions are something that the team had been investigating since before the Morant incident. In a team meeting, Steven Adams brought up the fact that players were getting into antics on the road. Subsequently, this led to a discussion about staying together as a team. Furthermore, they contemplated not going out after games, at all. At the end of the day, the team has a very bad road record, so this kind of suggestion made sense. Now that the Morant debacle is behind them, the Grizzlies have decided to officially take action.

Grizzlies Change Things Up

Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Golden State Warriors at FedExForum on March 09, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

According to The Athletic, the team will not be allowing players to stay overnight in the cities that they travel to. Essentially, the team will travel to a city for a game, and then immediately travel to the next destination after the game. Of course, this will be impossible in the playoffs when they need to play two games in a row in the same city. However, the Grizzlies ae clearly trying to reign in their players, who have gotten into some bad spats as of late.

It is understandable that the franchise would want to avoid any more issues. This whole saga has been taxing on the team and the fans. Although, the players still need to do their best here, as there is a goal at hand. That goal is to win the championship and shut up all of the doubters who think the Grizzlies are fake contenders.

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