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“I Made a Terrible Mistake”: Regretful Ja Morant Has His Daughter’s Words in Mind While in Rehab

Published 03/18/2023, 1:04 PM EDT

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In recent weeks, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant found himself embroiled in controversy after he flashed a gun on his Instagram live. The incident had a significant impact on his career, with critics and pundits calling into question his future in the sport. Everyone had a different opinion on his actions, and recently Morant addressed them all. After taking time away from the media and receiving support from a therapist, Morant has opened up about the turmoil he has faced.

During an interview with ex-NBA star Jalen Rose for ESPN, Morant discussed his recent experience and how it has led him to develop a more positive outlook on life. He stated that he has learned “different ways to manage stress, in a positive way,” and that he now has a better understanding of how to express his emotions.

Ja Morant on his daughter’s role in counseling

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Morant admitted that his decision to go live on Instagram with a gun was a mistake, and that it was a misguided attempt to seek freedom. He acknowledged his mistakes in conversation with Rose and also faced up to the fact that he has made bad decisions in the past. According to Morant he is not the same person he is being portrayed as and that’s why he wanted to have some time for himself to become a better Ja Morant for everyone. 

Read more: “You’re Not a Rapper…”: Shaquille O’Neal Gives Ja Morant a Stinging Reality Check for Disregarding His 3-Year-Old Daughter and Family

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Jalen Rose asked Morant, “For you to actually take that step is a very important one, when did you look in the mirror and say I’m going to do this because it was reported a couple of days ago that it happened, but when did you say I’m gonna do this and it’s necessary?”

Morant replied, “I made a terrible mistake, being inside a club and went live, I put myself in a bad position. You know my daughter, there’s times when she even tell me if she had a bad day and I felt like if she can tell me that then I can be able to go and talk to somebody as well.” 

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What was Morant’s thought process all this while?

Jalen Rose raised a follow up question to Morant about what Morant’s thought process while choosing the counseling program. To this Morant responded, “It was that morning when I woke up and seen my name on the all over the media for bad reason the wrong reasons which I didn’t wanted to see and I made a call and said you know I need to get away and I need to find myself again and that’s when I entered the counseling program and I’ve been there for a couple weeks now.” 

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Watch this story: Joel Embiid, Vernon Maxwell, and other NBA players who have gotten into fights with fans

Morant’s willingness to open up about his struggles and take steps to improve his mental health is commendable, and serves as a reminder for the importance of seeking help when needed. It also highlights the need for athletes, who often face significant pressure and scrutiny, to prioritize their mental well-being.

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Written by:

Nivedita Dubey

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Nivedita Dubey is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Nivedita has been following the NBA for a long time now and is deeply interested in the strategic intricacies of the sport. To hone her understanding of the inner workings of the game, she closely follows the analyses of popular NBA insiders and reporters like, Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor