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“But They Drop Kyrie Irving”: $187 Billion Company’s Stance on Ja Morant’s Gun Video Faces Heat From Fans

Published 03/05/2023, 6:10 AM EST

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After canceling its shoe contract with Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving, sports company Nike is in the spotlight again. Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who replaced Irving, himself ended up a talking point yesterday, and Nike has come out with support for the young star.

Morant posted an Instagram live video of his which went viral yesterday, and the Memphis Grizzlies suspended the 23-year-old for two games owing to the rising controversy. The multi-billion-dollar sports giant found itself facing flak from fans over their statement partly supporting the Grizzlies star.

Fans bring in Kyrie Irving

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Previously in December, Nike terminated its contract with Kyrie Irving for promoting antisemitic films on his social media. Further, the company did not waste time as they released their new shoes in collaboration with Ja Morant right after Irving’s termination. 

USA Today via Reuters

Morant who showed his gun on Instagram last night seems to have ended up in a similar situation as Irving. However, the billion-dollar company has not taken any strict action toward the young guard this time. Though Morant shared an apology for the live video, fans continue to question the baller for his shocking actions. 

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Moreover, fans seemed to question Nike for not showing support to the Mavs guard when he was in a similar situation a few months back. Famous NBA reporter Shams Charania revealed on his Twitter a statement from Nike supporting Morant. Nike mentioned, “We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.”

Fans did not hold back in the comments of the tweet. Here are some of the fans’ reactions questioning Nike:

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Fans predict the downfall of the Memphis Grizzlies

Though the team is the second seed in the Western Conference, recent incidents and news might cost the team. Adding to the breaking Ja Morant news, the team revealed its center Brandon Clarke will miss the rest of the season due to an injury. The 6’8 center who tore his Achilles a few days will not make a return this season.

Clarke has been efficient for the team and had a huge impact on Grizzlies’ playoff run last year. Though the team has a comfortable spot in the playoffs, Clarke’s absence might cost the team in the postseason.

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Watch this story: “Why was Stephen Curry ejected vs Ja Morant’s Grizzlies?”

Perhaps Nike was better off with Kyrie Irving? Share your thoughts on Morant’s Grizzlies and his contract in a comment below.

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Written by:

Rohan Dharmalingam

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Rohan Dharmalingam is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Rohan has been following the NBA for eight years now, after the sorcery of Stephen Curry from beyond the arc made him fall in love with the sport. He likes delving deeper into the nitty-gritty of the league by following the analyses of NBA commentators like JJ Reddick and Shams Charania.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor