Ja Morant is gradually going down as Coca-Cola’s Powerade has pulled ads featuring him over his gun incident. Could this be the career end of the 23-year-old Memphis Grizzlies point guard?
According to the New York Post;
Ja Morant’s off-the-court troubles are having real-world consequences — including potentially putting a dent in the NBA superstar’s wallet.
Coca-Cola’s Powerade pulled its ads featuring the 23-year-old point guard after the Memphis Grizzlies suspended him because he flashed a gun on social media during a wild night at a Denver-area strip joint, according to Sports Illustrated.
It’s unclear whether the popular drink-maker has severed ties with Morant, but the company also stripped his likeness from the brand’s website.
Morant inked a multi-year endorsement deal with Powerade just days before he hoisted a gun on camera during the now-viral Instagram live video.
The company has not said how much the deal is worth. But company execs told Bloomberg that Morant was going to headline the biggest marketing campaign in Powerade’s 36-year history.
Coca-Cola did not respond to a Post request for comment Sunday, nor did Morant’s other main endorsement partner, Nike, which earlier this month said it was standing by the troubled athlete.
“We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs,” Nike said, according to The Athletic. “We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
Morant’s meteoric NBA rise has been overshadowed in recent weeks by the now-infamous gun video, which he posted in the early morning hours of March 4.
In the clip, Morant is shirtless as he dangles the gun and belts out the lyrics to “Bring ‘Em Out” by the rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
The vaunted baller — who signed a 5-year-deal with the Grizzlies last year that could be worth as much as $231 million — first spent at least $50,000 in cash during a bender March 2.
“He was there to party, he wanted some girls in the room,” a club insider had told The Post.
Two days later, Morant returned to the jiggle joint after the Denver Nuggets trounced his Tennessee team. That’s when he posted the video that’s landed him in hot water.
The club’s owners said Morant was “exceptionally respectful” and sweet during his visits.
But one dancer told The Post that his handgun antics “absolutely terrified” the other dancers.
Here is more about Ja’s situation.
Nike statement on Ja Morant: “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.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 5, 2023
— SportsGridTV (@SportsGridTV) March 5, 2023