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The Ja Morant situation has been the talking point of the country for months now. This year alone, Morant has had two firearms-related misconducts to his name which has resulted in him getting banned. A lot has already been said about him and the conversation is still flowing at full speed. Recently, a 3x NBA All-Star chimed in to provide some perspective on the list of controversies involving the Memphis Grizzlies star.

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The 23-year-old is suspended from the league at the moment and is awaiting a final decision from the NBA. Meanwhile, the hottest topic in town is being discussed and debated every day. Recently, the NBA veteran compared the Morant situation with LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant as youngsters in the league.

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An NBA veteran reflects on the ongoing Ja Morant controversy

Morant has had several instances where he was found guilty. Mainly the cases that involved firearms were the ones that did the most damage to his career and reputation. During the first instance, earlier this year, Morant issued an apology and soon got back with the team. However, it didn’t take long for the talented youngster to slip into the same act again.

Morant was spotted flashing a firearm again on Instagram Live from one of his friend’s profiles. This incident took the NBA world by storm and as a repeat offender, Morant was booked for a longer period of time. Amidst the NBA finals, the decision on his fate was kept under wraps.

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USA Today via Reuters

Now that we are done with the finals, the major announcement from the NBA could be any time now. While we await the decision of Adam Silver and the team, the conversations on this topic haven’t stopped. Gilbert Arenas detailed his own perspective on the issue. He said that we judge people based on the experience we now have instead of what we were doing at a certain age.

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In the case of Morant, he feels that not many people can relate to his story. The 3x NBA All-Star added, “No one taught him [Ja Morant] how to be a star. No one taught him how to embrace, you know, this role as a face of something.”

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Additionally, Arenas thinks that it is also about not getting proper guidance as a youngster with money and influence.

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Read More: 7 Days After Adam Silver?s Groaned Over Crushing Act, Speculation Over Ja Morant?s Future Grows

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Gilbert Arenas compares Ja Morant’s life to LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant

Arenas said that as young athletes enter the league and quickly become stars, there should be a guidance and mentorship mechanism in place. He said that this will help the young athletes understand what to do and what to stay away from. The 41-year-old compared Morant with Kobe and LeBron as youngsters in the league.

He said, “Everyone’s not fortunate like Kobe was,” because he had Magic Johnson and other legends as mentors. Additionally, he said that even LeBron had smart people around him who understood that he can be much more than just an athlete.

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Watch This Story: ?After police checked Ja Morant?s wellness, Charles Barkley call $80 million worth NBA star on Pat McAffe Show?

If a little guidance is all it takes to save young and talented individuals and their careers, then it is something that the NBA must consider.

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Prateek Singh

919 Articles

Prateek Singh is a senior NBA writer for EssentiallySports, known for his insightful coverage of the league. With a deep passion for basketball fueled by the late Kobe Bryant's championship runs, Prateek has built his writing career on astute analysis and a firm understanding of the game. His area of expertise lies in breaking down trade reports and their implications for fans. His heartwarming coverage of tributes to NBA legend Magic Johnson’s father after his passing saw very high ratios of fan engagement. While this serves as a step closer to him writing a biography on his idol Kobe Bryant, for now, his focus is on delivering trustworthy coverage of the league he loves.

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Aayush Kapoor

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