Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant said he believed his 25-game suspension “made me better” as he prepared to return to the court next Tuesday, Jan. 19.
At a press conference Friday, Dec. 15, Morant said the suspension was “tough” with “some horrible days.” But, he said later, therapy helped him learn “some stuff about myself that I didn’t during that process. Very eye-opening. It kind of gave me a new look on life. How I go about my days. How I carry myself.”
Morant was suspended without pay after two incidents earlier this year where he allegedly flashed a firearm on social media. The first incident occurred in March, and Morant served an eight game suspension. The second incident occurred in May, not long after Morant admitted his off-court behavior affected the Grizzlies season following their playoff exit to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Morant’s suspension was handed down in June, as commissioner Adam Silver did not want to overshadow the NBA Finals. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning,” the NBA said in a statement at the time. “Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.”
During today’s press conference, Morant said he’d “made a lot of mistakes,” including some that hadn’t “even been public, with my family.” But Morant also said he believe his family had grown closer, on top of all the personal work he’d done during the suspension.
“A lot of learning, a lot of teaching. I wouldn’t say, you know, I regret it, I’m not happy that it happened,” Morant said. “But I’m also grateful that I had this opportunity to reflect and do things that I felt was not only needed for me, but for my family, as well. For us to realize what’s at stake, ways we can keep each other happy, and how we have each other’s back. We’ve been close before, but we came together even more during this process.”
Of finally getting back on the court, Morant said, “I wish the game was just earlier and this was me talking to y’all afterwards. I can say it’s been a while but it kind of went by fast… I’ve been counting down the days and I wake up every day like, ‘You one day closer.’”