Powerade Pulls Plug on ‘Largest Campaign in History’ Starring Ja Morant

Powerade Pulls Plug on 'Largest Campaign in History' Starring Ja Morant

Ja Morant is currently away from the Memphis Grizzlies, but he also will be away from commercial breaks. According to The Drum, Coca-Cola has pulled Morant’s Powerade campaign ads.

Morant is currently in the fallout from flashing a gun in the strip club on Instagram. He won’t be formally charged, but he is currently serving a suspension that runs through at least 15 games. Adding on, Powerade is pushing pause on their largest campaign in history, “From Underestimated to Undeniable,” which featured Morant. The ads have been pulled from YouTube and social media.

The campaign was set to be a major step forward in Coca-Cola’s aim to battle the power of Gatorade, with the combination of Body Armor.

Ken Sadowsky, a veteran beverage analyst, told The Drum, the controversy is “bad timing” for the brand as it heads into the summer season.

“There’s a lot of activity and growth in the isotonics category, but Coke is now facing a challenge for the umpteenth time. It’s difficult because the 600-pound Gatorade gorilla is pretty good at putting down challengers,” Sadowsky said.

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Coca-Cola Pulls Ja Morant’s Powerade Ads Amid Suspension

Coca-Cola has reportedly pulled its Powerade advertisements featuring Ja Morant after the Memphis Grizzlies’ star displayed a gun on Instagram Live while in a strip club. According to The Drum, the company has made ads featuring Morant private on its social platforms. The Grizzlies have also suspended Morant indefinitely. Glendale police have said there is not enough evidence to pursue criminal charges against Morant for the incident.

While the Grizzlies haven’t given an exact return date for Morant, they’ve said he’s going to miss at least six games. This would put him on track to come back on March 17 in San Antonio. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins provided an update on the 23-year-old’s timeline on Thursday.

Ja Morant On The Court

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 07: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on May 07, 2022, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

“We have had conversations in the past trying to guide him and help him continue to evolve as a person and a player,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, this came to a head the other day, so we put this process into action.” He added: “There are definitely steps that are going to have to be met — personally and professionally — as he deals with some stuff personally to get better.”

Quickly after the incident, Morant released an apology for his behavior. “I take full responsibility for my actions last night,” the statement read. “I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”

While Coca-Cola appears to be backing away from Morant, one of his other biggest sponsors, Nike, has already released a statement in support of the young star. “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,” the company said, according to ESPN.

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Kyrie Irving Reacts To Ja Morant Situation

Kyrie Irving is the newest player for the Dallas Mavericks. Of course, he had been playing for the Brooklyn Nets since 2019, although it didn’t go so well. Consequently, he demanded a trade and wound up next to Luka Doncic in Dallas. So far, the two have struggled to find their chemistry. The playoffs are on the horizon, and there is no telling if the Mavericks can realistically make a deep run in the playoffs. If they don’t then there is this real sense that Kyrie could leave, as he has done to other teams.

Recently, Kyrie Irving took to Twitch where he spoke on a plethora of topics. As we reported yesterday, Irving touched on his critics and some of the narratives that surround him. Additionally, he spoke about the recent controversy surrounding Ja Morant. Morant is now suspended indefinitely, and many are worried about him. However, as is typically the case, Kyrie had a different perspective.

Kyrie Irving Speaks

As you can see above, Irving claims that Morant is a celebrity and that people place different rules on celebrities. Although he thinks that should not be the case. At the end of the day, we are all human beings who should be afforded forgiveness. “Y’all saw what’s going on. We don’t have to get into (Morant),” Irving said. “We don’t even have to go into that because (Morant) isn’t the only one that’s dealt with real life circumstances. He’s not the only one. He won’t be the only one. I’m going to stand, and make sure I’m there for my family and friends. We all make mistakes. We all do things we regret. But somehow when you’re a celebrity and you’re famous, you’re underneath different rules.”

Kyrie certainly makes a good point. Although there is no denying that Ja Morant has done something wrong here. Either way, Kyrie is a “free thinker” so we’re not surprised he went with a whole different outlook on what went down. That said, let us know your thoughts on Kyrie’s remarks, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

Fat Joe on Tee Morant: ‘Instead of Getting Drunk, He Better School His Son’

Fat Joe on Tee Morant: 'Instead of Getting Drunk, He Better School His Son'

Fat Joe, like many sports fans, has watched the fall out of Ja Morant‘s actions in strip clubs, the streets, on Instagram, and more. Speaking on Instagram Live, Fat Joe spoke to Tee Mroant, Ja’s father, suggesting he steps in.

“Ja Morant always got his father there. Instead of his father enjoying the scene and getting drunk at the game, he better school his son,” Fat Joe said.

He added, “Your family has to really be your family and talk to you. I hope somebody gets him a copy of this because I don’t make money off Ja Morant. I’m just telling you the truth.”

Ja Morant will not face criminal charges after he was seen on Instagram Live flashing a gun in a strip club. Glendale, Colorado, PD announced the decision not to pursue charges.

Following the announcement from local authorities, the Grizzlies announced Morant would miss at least four additional games. The earliest he could possibly return now is against the San Antonio Spurs on March 17. In between, the Warriors will face the Golden State Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks on a home and home, and make a trip to play the Miami HEAT.

Glendale police confirm the incident occurred at Shotgun Willie’s strip club after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but they did not have enough evidence to charge a crime. In part, the statement reads:

“GPD was not able to determine that probable cause existed for the filing of any charges. In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type. Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens or patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint. The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact no firearm was ever located.”

The post Fat Joe on Tee Morant: ‘Instead of Getting Drunk, He Better School His Son’ appeared first on The Source.

Ja Morant Was Reportedly Investigated For Assault Back In September

Ja Morant has been in the news for a plethora of dubious reasons. Overall, these headlines about Morant have gotten people extremely worried about him. After being seen with a gun on Instagram Live, he was subsequently suspended indefinitely. Now, there is this sense that he will not play the rest of the season, which is disastrous for the Grizzlies. Moreover, the league is investigating his situation, and if they see any wrongdoing involving the weapon, he could end up with a massive 50-game suspension.

Now, TMZ is reporting that Morant was allegedly involved in another altercation back in September. According to the report, Ja Morant’s sister got into a verbal argument with a student at Houston High School in Tennessee. Apparently, they each hurled insults at each other, and Morant’s sister subsequently called him to help resolve the issue. Morant then showed up with his father and mother. Furthermore, witnesses claim that there were a lot of men with Ja, who were supposedly part of his crew.

Ja Morant Not Charged

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on February 28, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

They all allegedly went inside of the school’s gym, where the other girl was watching a volleyball game. Ja’s mom confronted the girl, and when police showed up, one of Morant’s friends allegedly intimidated people in the crowd. He allegedly knocked a phone out of someone’s hand and even threatened to pull a gun. However, police say no guns were involved in this spat. After all of this took place, the mother of the other girl tried to press charges. This subsequently led to an investigation in which Morant was being looked at for “intimidation.” In the end, he was never charged.

This story does not end there, however. The Grizzlies’ head of security was asked to come to the school. From there, he talked to the principal, who asked him to tell Morant that they cannot trespass on school grounds. Needless to say, this is an instance that the Grizzlies were fully aware of. This continues to be a developing story, so stay tuned to HNHH for updates.

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Fat Joe Says Ja Morant’s Father Tee Needs To Step Up Instead Of Getting Drunk At Games

Just about everyone has something to say about Ja Morant, and it’s Fat Joe’s turn to weigh in. The young Memphis Grizzlies star has been at the center of controversy, first after reports of an altercation with a 17-year-old. The incident reportedly occurred during a pick-up game. Reports stated Morant assaulted the teen and displayed a firearm. Later, the 23-year-old was hit with more trouble after he showed off a gun while on Livestream.

Sports commentators have been dishing out advice to Morant. Shaquille O’Neal, Shannon Sharpe, and Stephen A. Smith have all taken to their platforms to address the ongoing scandal. Others have claimed Morant has put the future of his NBA career in jeopardy in order to look tough. Fat Joe chimed into the conversation, and he had quite a bit to say about Ja’s father, Tee Morant.

Fat Joe Shares His Thoughts

SALT LAKE CITY UT- OCTOBER 26: Tee Morant the father of the Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant waves as he watches warmups before the Utah Jazz game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Vivint Arena October 29, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)

“Ja Morant always got his father there. Instead of his father enjoying the scene and getting drunk at the game, he better school his son,” said Joe. Tee Morant is often seen at games enjoying himself, and the rapper thinks he’s a negative influence. Tee and Shannon Sharpe recently had a tense confrontation at a basketball game. They were able to lay their differences aside.

Like others, Fat Joe also delivered words of guidance to Ja. “Bro, you did not come this far to f*ck your sh*t up. Your family has to really be your family and talk to you. I hope somebody gets him a copy of this because I don’t make money off Ja Morant. I’m just telling you the truth.”

Joe also advised against the ‘keeping to real’ persona. He calls it “the dumbest shit I ever heard in my life,” warning that this path leads to being broke and jobless. “I don’t care how nice he is, he will be playing in Serbia-Montenegro. And his father who likes to go like this and the three-pointer at every game. He better love the game in Turkey.”

This is a similar take to that of Shaq, who took a straightforward approach in his message to Ja Morant. Stephen Jackson wanted Ja to know that everyone makes mistakes, but it’s how you learn from them and push forward. Check out Fat Joe above.

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Ja Morant Will Not be Charged by Colorado Authorities, Will Miss Next 4 Games

Ja Morant Will Not be Charged by Colorado Authorities, Will Miss Next 4 Games

Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant will not face criminal charges after he was seen on Instagram Live flashing a gun in a strip club. Glendale, Colorado, PD announced the decision not to pursue charges.

Following the announcement from local authorities, the Grizzlies announced Morant would miss at least four additional games. The earliest he could possibly return now is against the San Antonio Spurs on March 17. In between, the Warriors will face the Golden State Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks on a home and home, and make a trip to play the Miami HEAT.

Glendale police confirm the incident occurred at Shotgun Willie’s strip club after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but they did not have enough evidence to charge a crime. In part, the statement reads:

“GPD was not able to determine that probable cause existed for the filing of any charges. In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type. Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens or patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint. The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact no firearm was ever located.”

The post Ja Morant Will Not be Charged by Colorado Authorities, Will Miss Next 4 Games appeared first on The Source.

Ja Morant Finally Gets Some Good News

Ja Morant has been hit with nothing but negative press over the last week or so. Overall, this press has been deserved due to his actions off the court. For instance, he was seen brandishing a gun on Instagram Live, which is a big no-no. Moreover, Morant had been accused of uttering threats at a teenager, as well as a mall cop. These incidents have left NBA fans worried about the young star’s future. The Grizzlies are also worried, as is the NBA. Subsequently, Morant was hit with an indefinite suspension from the league.

Additionally, it was revealed this week that the Glendale Police Department in Colorado would be investigating the situation. This is because there very well could have been a law being broken here. There are certain areas where you are not allowed to have a weapon on you, and due diligence needed to be paid in this instance. Had Morant been charged with a crime, his situation would have immediately worsened. However, it seems like Morant is finally getting some good news.

Ja Morant Won’t Be Charged

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Glendale Police Department has come out with a lengthy statement. In this statement, they confirmed that Morant will not be charged. The reason behind this is quite simple: “There was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime.” These words were part of Glendale PD’s statement on the matter. Overall, Ja and the Memphis Grizzlies will be very happy about this. However, this is not the end of this saga. Morant is still being investigated by the NBA, and if they find out he brought the gun on a team flight or in the locker room, he is staring down a 50-game suspension.

It will be extremely interesting to watch how this all continues to play out. Fans want to see Morant succeed, and this will be a difficult lesson for him to learn. That said, he has the potential to be great, and he can’t be wasting it on stupidities. Let us know what you think of all this, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

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Shaq Gets Brutally Honest With Ja Morant

Shaq is someone who has a ton of experience when it comes to professional basketball. Overall, Shaquille O’Neal is a legend in the basketball world. He was able to win four NBA championships, and he even made it to the Hall of Fame. Moreover, he is now an analyst on TNT where he is able to give his views on the game of basketball. Ultimately, he is someone that a lot of people respect and in many ways, he is an OG for some of these younger players.

When you are young, it is easy to make mistakes. Although you might have all the money in the world, the temptation to act out is always there. Unfortunately, Ja Morant is learning that lesson the hard way right now. The Memphis Grizzlies superstar has been suspended indefinitely and there is no telling when he may return. After brandishing a gun on Instagram Live, many questions have been asked of Ja. Overall, it is a terrible look, and on Tuesday night, Shaq spoke out with his reactions on the matter.

Shaq Reacts

For the most part, Shaq acted as an OG in the situation. He decided to be as honest as possible with Morant, while also delivering some advice that will serve him well. “You don’t go live, nobody knows he has a weapon, [then] we’re not talking about this, but HE did that,” Shaq explained. “We have to stop putting ourselves in positions where they can take away the things that we worked hard for. You got to have enough common sense to know that wasn’t going to go how you wanted it to go. You’re not a rapper. You’re an NBA player.”

These are words that everyone in the league can live by. There have been numerous situations where players have ruined their careers over stupidities. However, there are ways to protect yourselves, and players need to be cognizant of that, moving forward. Hopefully, Morant will take this advice and turn his life around, before things get out of hand. Let us know what you think of Shaq’s take, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

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Plaxico Burress Offers Some Advice To Ja Morant

Plaxico Burress had a great career in the NFL where he even won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. However, his career was derailed for a bit due to a gun charge stemming from an unfortunate incident in a nightclub. Burress had a gun on him and it accidentally went off. Subsequently, Burress suffered a self-inflicted wound. Overall, it was a very embarrassing situation for Burress who became a laughingstock of sorts. Since that time, Burress has been very forthcoming about his mistakes and what not to do.

Now, the NBA is dealing with a player who has been reckless with guns. That player is none other than Ja Morant, who has been suspended indefinitely. Morant flashed a gun while on Instagram Live. At the time, he was at a bar, which made his actions that much more reckless. Many throughout the league are very concerned about him, and it seems like Morant understands that. In fact, Morant has even issued an apology. Additionally, he wants to work on managing stress so that something like this doesn’t happen again in the future.

Plaxico Burress Speaks

As someone who has been in Morant’s shoes, Burress has plenty of advice to offer. On Tuesday morning, he was on The Carton Show where he gave Morant some words of wisdom. “If you can’t learn anything, learn from me,” Burress said. “‘Make better decisions because you really don’t want for him to have that label being that he’s so young. He has the opportunity to be the face of the NBA. He’s that great of a player.” Overall, this is certainly some good advice and poignant analysis. Ja Morant has so much to lose, and it makes no sense for him to be acting this way.

Hopefully, Morant is able to move on from this incident and continue being a great player. He is still incredibly young, and sometimes, you have to make mistakes in order to learn. It’s unfortunate, but all he can do now is make up for what’s happened over these past few weeks. Let us know what you think of Burress’ advice, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from the sports world.

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