Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant publicly responded to ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins after Perkins made personal comments about their relationship during a podcast appearance, which sparked a social media exchange between the two basketball figures.

Ja Morant responded directly to Kendrick Perkins’ recent comments with a pointed social media post. “you da reason for my notoriety perk? come on dawg . 😂 you showing em why ion fw yo kind,” the Grizzlies guard wrote on his X account. This marked Morant’s first public response to the analyst’s claims about their relationship deteriorating.

The Memphis star’s reply came after Perkins appeared on the Out The Mud podcast with former Grizzlies players Tony Allen and Zach Randolph. During the conversation, Perkins revealed the current state of his relationship with Morant. “I was cool with Ja at one point, but then when Ja started getting in trouble with some of his stuff off the court and s–t like that, I had to speak on it, man, Ja don’t really f— with me no more on that s–t,” the ESPN analyst stated.

Perkins didn’t hold back about his current feelings toward the Grizzlies’ superstar. “But to be honest, in that type of situation, I don’t f— with Ja. And you know why? I don’t f—. I f—with his daddy, but I don’t f—with Ja,” he told the podcast hosts. The former NBA champion expressed particular frustration about how Morant’s actions reflected on his own advocacy.

The ESPN analyst suggested he played a significant role in boosting Morant’s national profile. “The reason I’m so mad at you is because ESPN packed up for a week and what y’all was, listen, y’all had the city rocking ESPN,” Perkins explained. He emphasized the network’s unusual decision to feature the Grizzlies extensively.

Kendrick Perkins took credit for influencing ESPN’s decision to produce an all-access feature on Morant and the Grizzlies. “They did that for Ja. I was the one that was praising Ja. I was the one that said, Hey man, I came out and said, Hey, look, we can redo that draft. Ja should have went number one and not Zion,” he recalled of his previous support for the guard.

The analyst connected Morant’s increased television exposure to his own advocacy. “It ain’t no coincidence that you went from having three games on ESPN national television, that you had 52,” Perkins stated. He argued that Morant’s off-court issues damaged both their reputations, given his previous strong support.

The origins of the scenario

The relationship between Morant and Perkins deteriorated after the guard faced multiple suspensions due to off-court behavior. The Grizzlies star missed 25 games last season following his second incident involving a firearm. As a result of these suspensions, Morant played only 59 games over the past two seasons, despite his success on the court.

Ja Morant has maintained his elite performance when available, currently leading the Grizzlies with 22.0 points per game this season. The team has started 2-1 despite numerous injuries, with rookie Cedric Coward providing unexpected offensive production alongside the returning star.

The recent social media exchange illustrates the ongoing complexity of Morant’s relationship with the media. Throughout his career, the guard has consistently engaged with critics, whether during his early MVP-caliber seasons or during his recent challenges returning from suspension.