“Ja Morant made a return to the court after serving a 25-game suspension, but it was far from a warm reception at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The pro-Pelicans crowd greeted him with a mix of jeers and applause, with the boos significantly overshadowing the cheers. The point guard, who had been suspended for brandishing a pistol on Instagram Live, faced a louder negative response during player introductions. It marked Morant’s first game back, and it followed his second league suspension for a similar incident.”
During the beginning of the game, Morant was subjected to a significant amount of jeering when he made his initial contact with the ball. Eventually, he was fouled while he was driving to the basket.
When he proceeded to the free throw line, he was met with additional jeers from the crowd. However, he was successful in making one of his two shots, which resulted in his first point of the season.
A total of seven points, three assists, one block, and one rebound were accomplished by the 24-year-old player during the first half of the game, during which he played for sixteen minutes and shot three of eight from the field.
Morant’s efforts to work with his teammates during the suspension were praised by Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins prior to Tuesday night’s game, as reported by the Associated Press. Morant’s efforts included video conferencing with players during games and attending practices.
A member of our core team, who is also one of our leaders, has returned to us. The crew is pumped up and ready to go. According to Jenkins, “I’m fired up.” Since the beginning of the season, he has engaged in a significant amount of labor and has spent as much time as he can with the club.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch him go out there and simply enjoy himself. Jenkins continued by saying, “That is something that he and I have discussed.” Simply take advantage of this opportunity to get back out on the court and work on developing a strong rapport with your colleagues.
Morant stated on Friday that he has become a better person as a result of his use of therapy and self-reflection processes.
According to statements made to reporters on Friday, the two-time All-Star said, “I feel like I learned some stuff about myself during that process.” “Completely enlightening. The way I go about my daily activities and the way I carry myself has provided me with a fresh perspective on life.