Ja Morant’s dad had heartfelt words for Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell after the Memphis Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs.
There are no perfectly happy endings when it comes to people suffering harassment, especially when it’s racially motivated. That trauma will always remain. Still, good can always come out of bad situations.
Ja Morant’s father, Tee, stressed that idea during an interaction with Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell after they had eliminated his son’s Memphis Grizzlies from the playoffs.
The elder Morant was at the game courtesy of Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who offered tickets and more to Morant’s family members after they were harassed during Game 2. Mitchell publicly spoke out against the fans, who were banned from Vivint Arena.
The gestures from the Utah organization struck Morant.
When he met with Mitchell after the game, the two shared a meaningful moment.
“I’m pulling for y’all right now. Y’all didn’t have to show us love like that,” Morant said. “When s— go bad and then you reach out, that’s how you bridge the gap. Most people don’t realize that. So that’s why I appreciate you and that’s why I hope the Jazz win the championship.”
Ja Morant’s dad is rooting for the Jazz to win it all
Ja Morant added to the conversation on Twitter by thanking Utah as well.
This could have been a moment that divided the NBA. Instead, it brought people closer together as they united against hate speech. It’s the best outcome for an awful situation.
The Jazz eliminated the Grizzlies from the playoffs in five games. They had to recover from a loss in Game 1 to win four straight. Mitchell was the key to that bounce back with 28.5 points and 5.8 assists per game.
Ja Morant did what he could to keep the Grizzlies in it. He averaged 30.2 points, 8.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds in five games.