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“Nike Don’t Give a F**k”: 3x All-Star Pips Ja Morant for Olympics Despite Nuggets Legend Slamming Door Shut

Published 03/04/2024, 5:30 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The roster discussions have turned hot as the Paris Olympics 2024 approaches closer. There will be players looking forward to giving it all to make it to the line-up. Then there are few whose chance depends upon their recovery from injuries. Ja Morant is among the latter ones. However, Kenyon Martin has disregarded Ja having any chance, irrespective of the injuries. But Gilbert Arenas believes that Nike will be pushing for Memphis Grizzlies‘ point guard, anyway.

Martin believes that considering Ja’s recent actions, he will not make it to the roster, as it will not look good for the national team. Arenas, however, had a different point of view on this from Nike’s perspective. “Nike don’t give a f**k about what goddamn USA with Adam Silver got going on. They don’t give a f**k,” Gil stated. However, Martin continued with his viewpoint that image matters. Arenas again differed, stating, “the only that matters is him (Ja Morant) selling shoes.” 

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K-Mart still insisted on his point that it isn’t about shoes but a guy (Ja) going around with firearms in public. “And we talking about USA, the Olympics. We’re not talking about f*****g NBA or Nike,” he stated. The ex-Denver Nuggets star further mentioned that it could have been a yes for the Grizzlies’ point guard if it was just for his skill set, but the actions that have transpired are a no for 2024 Olympics.

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However, it is worth mentioning that despite the ongoing controversies around him, Nike did not cut off ties with Morant.

Nike’s stand around Ja Morant’s controversy

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Ja was involved in two separate firearm incidents in 2023. The first incident was in March when he was seen holding a g*n at a club. He faced an 8 game suspension following the incident. But the suspension did not stop Morant from repeating the offense just two months after. After the Grizzlies’ playoff elimination, Morant again displayed a firearm during an Instagram Live video.

USA Today via Reuters

This repeated violation this time led to a 25 game suspension in the 2023-24 season. Following the second incident, Nike delayed the release of Ja’s sneakers. However, the company, in a statement declared that since the Grizzlies’ point guard has taken accountability, they will continue to support Ja. After a certain initial delay, Nike released the sneakers as well.

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What is your opinion of Ja Morant’s chances of making it to the NBA roster? Do you think Nike will push for Ja considering that Nike sponsors the US Basketball team in the Olympics?

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Written by:

Khelendra Kumar Yadav

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Khelendra is an NBA writer at Essentially Sports, where he brings insightful analysis and engaging content to basketball enthusiasts worldwide. With a passion for the game cultivated from his own experiences as a basketball player, he has represented his school team in numerous tournaments, honing both skills and an intimate understanding of the sport. Khelendra holds a PG Diploma in Digital Media from a reputed university, providing him with a solid foundation in multimedia storytelling and digital content creation.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth