Tee Morant, the father of Grizzlies star Ja Morant, offered a candid perspective on his son’s off-court troubles on Saturday while speaking to a group of youth basketball players in New Orleans.
The elder Morant, who also coached the 24-year-old guard growing up, imparted a few words of wisdom for campers at the Up Next Elite Camp, where he was reportedly asked during his visit how to handle when people are talking about you.
Morant began his speech by saying he was “speaking for my son” before stressing the importance of making the right decisions and being mindful of your surroundings at all times.
“Make sure anytime y’all anywhere, know the capabilities of everybody around you,” Morant said. “My son didn’t get in trouble for the people around him, he got in trouble for his decisions so, always be mindful of every decision y’all [are making]. Because, it could pretty much, take over you and can consume you and make you think that you’re who you’re not. ...
“Any time y’all are anywhere, just think everything is looking at you, everything is magnified. The smallest thing you can do can make the biggest difference in your life.”
“My son didn’t get in trouble cause of people around him. He got in trouble because of his decisions.”
— REL (@relmyers) August 19, 2023
Tee Morant speaks to the attendees at the Up Next Elite Camp in New Orleans. One of the topics the kids asked about today was how to handle when people are talking about you. pic.twitter.com/DNtfLfmzBy
Tee Morant’s strong words come at a time where Ja’s meteoric rise has turned into a cautionary tale after a string of issues away from the game of basketball.
The two-time All-Star received a 25-game suspension from the NBA in June over videos showing him flashing a gun, and was recently named in a lawsuit along with a close friend who was arrested for assaulting a teen during an incident at Morant’s home. While he was not charged with a crime, Morant is currently set to appear in court again on Oct. 12 due to the countersuit he filed against the teen in April.
