Grizzlies' Ja Morant Reflects on Return from Suspension: 'Felt Good to Be Back'
MARCH 23, 2023
After a 19-day absence, Ja Morant returned to the court and scored 17 points off the bench in the Memphis Grizzlies' 130-125 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Morant noted he "felt good to be back" and spoke about the support he received from Grizzlies fans and the organization during his time away.
"It meant a lot, man. Obviously, I'm thankful and grateful for everybody who's been supporting me during this time. It definitely helped me a lot, definitely made me feel a little better. Eased everything that was going on," he said. "Felt good to be back. Super excited. Glad we was able to get the win."
Morant's last appearance was on March 3 against the Denver Nuggets. He served an eight-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the league after waving a gun in a club in a video posted on his personal Instagram Live.
In the announcement of the suspension, NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Morant's conduct "irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous."
Morant and Silver met in New York on March 15 to discuss the situation. The Grizzlies' guard apologized for his actions and said he went to a counseling program "to learn how to manage stress" on Tuesday.
Even though Morant was eligible to play in Monday's game against the Dallas Mavericks, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters they were delaying his return as part of the "ramp-up process" given his extended layoff.
Morant was on the Grizzlies' bench against the Mavs, which Memphis won 112-108.
Jenkins eased Morant back in by using him off the bench for the first time in his NBA career. The two-time All-Star went 6-of-13 from the field with five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes against the Rockets.
There was no indication from Jenkins after the win if Morant will be back in the starting lineup for the Grizzlies' next game, but using him off the bench is only a temporary thing as he gets acclimated to playing normal minutes again.
Memphis has won four straight games and seven of its last eight dating back to March 9. This winning streak has allowed the team to open up a two-game lead over the Sacramento Kings for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies will host the Rockets again on Friday to wrap up their four-game homestand.
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