It seems that Memphis Grizzlies basketball star Ja Morant has made one too many mistakes, and signs point to his time with Nike coming to an early end.
After getting caught on Instagram Live wielding a gun, an offense that got him once again suspended by the NBA, the world’s biggest sportswear brand seems to be pulling his signature shoe.
Yep the JA 1, which launched last month, is now nowhere to be found on the Nike app, and retail stores such as Finish Line have pulled the $110 basketball sneaker of the once-rising star as his career begins to spiral.
The is the second time Temetrius Jamel was caught brandishing a gun. The first time back in March, Nike responded with the following statement.
“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.“
Back then, he was suspended eight games and received counseling. This time, so soon after the first, the consequences could be much more dire.
Did Chat GPT write Ja Morant’s apology?
Morant shared a potentially-damaging apology earlier this week with ESPN basketball insider Adrian Wojnarowski, and eagle-eyed fans noticed that it’s more or less word for word what comes out of the generative AI tool Chat GPT if you ask it to make an apology paragraph after you got caught doing something once again.
Fans have widely mocked the incident, while others have stood up for him, saying it’s possible that it’s very he wrote it himself.
“Just because you feel like he didn’t speak from the heart doesn’t mean he used ChatGPT but then again, what’s really the difference?” said one Twitter user.
Morant’s Nike deal: How much money is at stake?
The star signed with the swoosh back in 2019 after he was drafted into the NBA, posting proudly about the event on his Instagram.
“All my life my parents worked for a check,” the then-Murray State star wrote at the time. “Now I’m proud to say I work for the check.”
Morant’s multi-year deal with Nike was for a reported $12.01 million, and the Ja 1 was spoken of at the time before being shown to the public in late 2022.
An official statement from Nike’s VP of Global Men’s Basketball, Scott Munson read in 2019:
“Morant, Nike Basketball’s first Gen Z signature athlete, is a revolutionary player who quickly became a global star with his unmatched athleticism and exciting style of play. His authentic personality, deep love for his community and family and joy for the game make him very special — on and off the court.
“We are thrilled to add Morant to our signature roster and can’t wait for everyone to learn more about his first shoe, the Nike Ja 1.
The shoe only hit retail on May 4, and the star posted about the design just weeks ago.
Allen Iverson gives Ja Morant life advice
Esquire Middle East spoke with hall of famer Allen Iverson earlier this year when he was in Abu Dhabi, and we touched upon his relationship with Ja Morant.
“You understand that a mistake is only a mistake if you make it twice. You understand that you are under a magnifying glass. A lot of kids, and not just kids, even adults, are looking at your every move. You understand that you’re not going to be perfect, but you know, you do have an obligation to be a positive person to the people that are looking up to you,” Iverson said.
Read that full conversation here.
Let’s hope that Morant gets back on track soon!