What’s on the bingo card for Memphis Grizzlies fans heading into the 2025/26 season? A Ja Morant resurgence for sure. He’s had a rough couple of years, whether it was his relentless partying or his display of firearms. Perhaps the last straw was his hip injury in this year’s playoffs, which seemed to affect the 25-year-old’s headspace.
Advertisement
Fortunately, Morant’s injury wasn’t too serious, and he’s now gearing up to make a comeback in the upcoming campaign. His mindset ahead of that return became a topic of discussion on The Ringer‘s podcast, where Grizzlies insider Chris Vernon spoke about the difficulties Morant had gone through leading up to this point.
Vernon felt bad for Ja, a player who, just two years ago, was seen as franchise-altering. He captivated audiences week after week, with his dunks and athleticism bringing arenas to their feet across the country. Thankfully, the tides are now turning.
“He has been so down, and so despondent, and so mopey,” said Vernon, who then revealed that Ja’s mental state appears to be much stronger right now. “This summer tour that he has been on, and people will see it all over, because he’s on a Nike World Tour. This is by far the happiest I have seen him in four years. Easily.”
Touring a brand-new sneaker with the most recognized sports brand in the world is definitely a confidence booster. But it also reminds Ja that he earned it all through his hard work. “If nothing else, look, everybody loves to tear somebody down, and then for them to come back from that. To rise above all their prior transgressions,” added Vernon.
These are sometimes the journeys athletes have to go through. When fame and fortune take over their lives, it’s easy to forget who they are and what got them there. Ja’s stats hadn’t taken a dip, but it was clear he was just going through the motions.
Vernon reiterated that Morant is truly pulling himself out of the darkness. “To see him now come out. All indications are he’s come out on the other side of things thing. All the problems, all the injuries, all the depression, all the everything, and it looks like the guy we saw the first two years when everybody in the NBA fell in love with that guy.”
It couldn’t have come at a better time. The NBA continues to look for the next face of the league once LeBron James and Steph Curry leave. Sure, there are plenty of candidates like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
People forget how widely popular Ja became in his first two seasons. The dynamic playmaking he creates on the floor is insanely unique, and the growth he’s already contributed to the Memphis market is through the roof.
The league is much more entertaining when guys like Morant are locked in. Let’s just hope, moving forward, he’s not glocked in.
