February 7, 2023
Shannon Sharpe Chastises Ja Morant for Recent Behavior Involving Friends: ‘Nobody Looks at you, Ja’ Thinking you a Thug, ‘Stop pretending!’
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that the NBA was investigating a report by the Indiana Pacers that friends of Memphis Grizzlies star player Ja Morant made a threatening gesture towards members of the Pacers’ traveling party after the teams’ January 29 game.
The Grizzlies suspended one of Morant’s friends due to the reported incident. Morant was confronted about it and told reporters, “All that stuff pretty much false. It’s been proven. That’s all I got to say on it.”
Shannon Sharpe, though, had plenty to say.
On a recent episode of Undisputed, the Fox Sports commentator, who just had words with Morant’s father at a recent Grizzles-Lakers game, discussed what was reported regarding the Pacers’ accusation. He did not hold back.
“I wish Ja would realize he’s not a thug. Ja is a really good basketball player. Ja did everything he could to lift himself and his family out of this environment and to get away from this. And for some reason, he wants to surround himself with these types of people. Why? Bruh, you not hard. That’s not your life. People that (are) in that life would give anything to be in your life.”
He added:
“You got a $200 million contract and you want people in the NBA to think you hood, to think you gangsta because you roll with these type of people. Bruh, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way when you don’t have to. Nobody looks at you, Ja, and thinks man that’s a thug, he’s hood, he’s down, he’s about that. You not. Stop pretending!”
Acquaintances of Ja Morant reportedly aggressively confronted members of the Pacers organization:
“I wish Ja would realize he’s not a thug. You’re not about that life! No one looks at you and thinks you’re hood. Stop pretending!!” — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/YSmx9lJKjC
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 6, 2023