Ja Morant has spent most of his offseason out of the public eye, aside from an occasional post on social media. But the Memphis Grizzlies point guard was in New York on Saturday at the celebrity-filled Nike World Basketball Festival at Lincoln Center.
It was Morant’s first high-profile public appearance since he was suspended 25 games by the NBA in June for misconduct by the league. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Sue Bird, Dirk Nowitzki and Sheryl Swoopes were among the Nike-endorsed basketball athletes in attendance.
The Nike World Basketball Festival is a two-day event that showcases some of the best high school players in the world in one tournament. Many of the top-ranked girls and boys in the incoming recruiting classes played in their respective championship games on Saturday.
Morant and San Antonio Spurs No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama served as the honorary captains of the South Boys team. The South’s opponent, the East team, has Booker and Durant as honorary captains.
In the part of the statement released by Morant after the NBA announced his 25-game suspension, he promised to represent his sponsors and brands.
Even with a dismal start to the offseason, Morant’s Nike brand hasn’t taken much of a hit. His “Ja 1” sneakers continue to be a hot commodity in Memphis. NBA players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and former Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks have already worn Ja 1s in games, and more players are likely to join the crowd once the upcoming season begins.
Due to the suspension, Morant will be the first to wear his signature shoes in an NBA game on December 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans. It will be the Grizzlies’ 26th game of the season, and it will be televised on TNT.
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It’s unclear when Morant will be allowed to return to his Grizzlies teammates at team facilities. When Morant was suspended last season, he was not allowed to use team facilities. Due to the length of his 25-game layoff, the NBA may allow Morant to return to the team before the end of his suspension to strengthen his basketball conditioning.
Morant has been hanging out with some of his Grizzlies teammates in the offseason at local Memphis-area high schools.
The Grizzlies will play their first preseason game on October 8 (7 pm, Bally Sports Southeast) against the Indiana Pacers. Regular season action tips off Oct. 25 against the Pelicans (7 p.m., Bally Sports Southeast).