Memphis Grizzlies superstar guard Ja Morant wants to make it right for a heartbroken fan whose autographed basketball was allegedly stolen at Monday night’s game.
Ellie Hughes is an 11-year-old Grizzlies fan who’s been attending home games with her grandfather for six years. She usually brings along a small basketball covered in player autographs she’s collected over the years, but on Monday — just as she was trying to get Morant’s attention — two adults swiped the ball, according to Hughes’ mother, Lindsay. She said they then took off running with the basketball tucked underneath a jacket.
Hughes wrote a Facebook post Tuesday about the alleged incident:
“Had you or your kids asked Ellie to see the ball/signatures etc.. Ellie would have been ecstatic to show & tell you all her stories of how she got them & heck she is so tender hearted & has the biggest heart she probably would have given the ball to the kids because that is just Ellie & how we have raised her.. but I hope you do know this.. you may have one of her most prized & meaningful things she has acquired but you will NEVER ruin her love for basketball or the Grizzlies & she will continue to go to games & ENJOY them even though your selfish actions have hurt her deeply.”
After Ellie’s story started making headlines, Morant stepped in to help.
do anybody know the family info? https://t.co/mS4JCNKaZf
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) January 11, 2023
Walter Murphy, the Action News 5 broadcaster whose news segment Morant watched, replied to the guard and said he would happily introduce him to the Hughes family.
It was assuredly not easy for the young fan to collect all of those signatures over the years, but Morant should be able to help replace the physical item with something similar — or better — and track down some of the players to sign it for her again.
