Since coming back from his suspension, Ja Morant has been sporting a face mask at the basketball court docket. Why is that? Here's the entirety we all know.
After serving an eight-game suspension for behavior destructive to the league, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant made his long-awaited return to the court docket towards the Houston Rockets on March 22, 2023. Ja got here off the bench for the primary time in his profession, receiving a loud ovation when he checked in late in the first quarter.
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While most fans have been eager to look him back in motion, others were at a loss for words by means of the two-time NBA All-Star's look. Since returning, Ja has been donning a black mask on the court — why is that? Keep studying to find out.
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Why is Ja Morant wearing a mask?
Ja hasn't played in weeks, so why is he abruptly wearing a mask on the court docket? Well, because it seems, the 23-year-old superstar guard reportedly suffered a nasal fracture in a sport against the Rockets previous to his suspension.
He first wore a mask throughout the Grizzlies' recreation towards the Denver Nuggets on March 3, which in order that came about to be the last recreation he performed ahead of his suspension. Despite the injury happening early in the month, Ja is nonetheless coping with pain as a result of he's still wearing a mask — or the Grizzlies are being cautious and need Ja to wear a mask to ensure he does not miss any further time.
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However, all the way through the Grizzlies' 141-132 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, March 29, Ja didn't finish the sport with the mask — why is that? During the postgame press convention, he told journalists he took the mask off because "the sweat was coming down, [and] it was tough to dry it out during the game."
Ja added that since he completed the game with out the mask, he won't be needing it anymore.
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Ja Morant was in the past suspended for brandishing a firearm on social media.
On March 4, just hours after a loss to the Nuggets, the athlete headed to a Colorado nightclub — there, he flashed a gun on an Instagram Live video. The NBA impulsively launched an investigation, and the Grizzlies announced that Ja can be clear of the staff for several video games. Ja then checked himself into a rehabilitation center in Florida.
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A bit of over a week later, he met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and a number of other different best NBA executives. The league then announced they had suspended Ja for 8 video games without pay for the incident: "Ja's conduct was irresponsible, reckless, and potentially very dangerous. It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him," Adam stated in a press release.
Adam persisted, "He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court."
The investigation concluded that the firearm didn't belong to Ja, and he did not elevate it with him at the staff plane.
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