Ja Morant is taking time off the court and prioritizing his mental health.
According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, the Memphis Grizzlies guard entered a counseling program in Florida on Monday, and it’s unknown when he’ll return to the NBA season.
In a statement announcing his departure, Morant said he needs “to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being,” ESPN reported. The Grizzlies noted he’d sit out the Wednesday game against the Miami Heat but didn’t provide additional information about when he’ll be back on the court.
Before the Grizzlies’ game against the Dallas Mavericks (which they won 104-88), coach Taylor Jenkins said, “Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes after the next two games,” according to ESPN.
“I’ve said that he’s taking time and responsibility to get better for himself so that he can be better for our team,” he added. “I’m not going to really comment further until there’s more updates necessary.”
Morant’s decision isn’t a total surprise. The guard has been embroiled in scandal more often than not lately, and things escalated after he brandished a gun at a Denver nightclub on Instagram Live a few weeks ago. The incident pushed the Grizzlies to suspend Morant, and the NBA is investigating.
As the NBA conducts its investigation, the Grizzlies assured fans they intend to hold Morant accountable for his concerning behavior. They also expressed their support for him getting professional help.
Though he’s off the court, Morant is reportedly still in contact with his teammates and active on the Grizzlies’ group chat. In addition, ESPN said he’s spoken to a few of his fellow Grizzlies on the phone.
“His spirit has been great so far when I have spoken to him,” Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones told ESPN. “It’s a unique time. There comes times in life when you’ve got to put yourself first before your family, before basketball, before a lot of other stuff, and I don’t know if a lot of guys have ever done that. It’s a time where he’s getting to put himself first, and I think he’s taken advantage of that. I hope he’s taking advantage of that, and it will be good for him.”
Jones also said the team has Morant’s back no matter what happens.
“Basketball will be here. We support him. We have his back. He knows that, and that’s just what I try to reiterate to him,” he said.
