It’s not often that an NBA debut of this magnitude comes 25 games into a season. But that’s the case for Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, following a suspension handed down by the league after he was seen displaying a firearm during an Instagram Live video posted back in May. It was the second such suspension for Morant.
Morant is poised to make his season debut Tuesday night, and the comments about his return to the court from peers and coaches, including LeBron James, have been noteworthy.
One message stood out among the rest, though, as veteran Grizzlies guard Derrick Rose praised Morant for the work he’s put in behind the scenes and the fact that he’s remained in the background.
“He’s a hardworking motherf—er. I know that,” Rose told ESPN. “I’m proud of him, very proud of him. Never complains. He’s there early, there after, at shootaround, practices. He’s doing everything the team wants him to do, and I’m just happy that he’s creating his own reality and his own bubble. You can just see it. You haven’t heard anything about him. And that’s a great thing.”
Memphis sits at 6–19 ahead of Morant’s debut, 7 1/2 games behind the final play-in spot for the Western Conference postseason picture. The team has been riddled by injuries all year, dealing with extended absences from Rose, offseason addition Marcus Smart and sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard.
But now, Morant, who averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists last season, will return to the floor. This alone will provide hope for a team on the brink, but whether or not the Grizzlies can turn things around will be a talking point over the coming weeks and months if all goes according to plan for Memphis.
