Ja Morant returned to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night after his eight-game NBA suspension ended, but he only watched from the bench.
Morant reportedly apologized to the team for his recent behavior, which included brandishing a gun while shirtless in a Denver gentleman’s club and vowed to be a better teammate and person.
It was the Grizzlies’ ninth game without Morant who missed a game before leaving the team because of an injury. Memphis went 6-3 during that stretch.
The playoff-bound Grizzlies hope to have Morant back on the court on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets.
Teammate Dillon Brooks told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal that Morant volunteered to come off the bench upon his return.
“I said, ‘Hell no’ You’re too good of a player. You’re the engine of this team. We need you out there getting reps and getting acclimated to who you are as that third-quarter, fourth-quarter closer,” Brooks said.
A smiling Morant interrupted teammate Santi Aldama’s on-court postgame interview and shared a lyric from a rap song by NBA YoungBoy; “It’s a parade inside my city. Skip Bayless of “Undisputed” on FOX Sports reported on social media that NBA YoungBoy’s lyrics often include references about guns.
“It was not a good sign that Ja Morant quoted that rap lyric,” Bayless wrote.