I want to start this off by saying congratulations to Memphis star Ja Morant, truly. Being strong enough to acknowledge there’s something wrong is the first step towards becoming a stronger version of oneself. Morant reportedly has entered a counseling program in Florida, and his return to the court continues to be without a timetable. News comes from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Morant, in his own words, has been seeking aid in order “to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress” in addition to his overall well-being. The Grizzlies announced that Ja Morant would be out at least through Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat. The 23-year-old star hasn’t been on the right side of media as of late, with the league reportedly conducting an investigation into the recent IG live of him flashing a firearm inside of a club.
Ja deleted his social media accounts shortly after. He then released a public statement, holding himself accountable:
“I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down,” the statement read. “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.”
Nike, who has a signature shoe-line with Ja, issued a statement of their own. They are in full support of Ja Morant’s decision to step away from court to seek professional help:
“We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs,” the statement read. “We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
It is never, ever, a bad thing to seek help from professionals. It is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you ever feel like you’re struggling, that you require someone to lean on for support, then I urge you to use the resources available to you. Get the help that you need. It may very well save not just your life, but also potentially the lives of others around you.
Morant is a very talented player, with a very bright future ahead of him. Nobody wants to see this man do anything that’d put his bright future in jeopardy. He will come back even stronger from this.
