How is player activism handled in NBA locker rooms?
Some athletes want to use their platform to prompt change, others want to focus on being the best player possible. We ask if these two dynamics create friction in the locker room.
Sports Seriously
It’s no surprise that Ja Morant’s been known to autograph clothes or shoes for fans at games.
So Morant started 2023 by making a young fan’s day after the Memphis Grizzlies‘ 118-108 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday at FedExForum.
After Morant finished his postgame interview with Bally Sports, he took off his pink Ja 1 Nike shoes, which premiered on Christmas Day, and ran over to the baseline at FedExForum to autograph them for 9-year-old Zander Carr.
Carr, who wore a Morant jersey and a Grizzlies hat, started crying while thanking Morant over and over as he held up a sign that said “Ready to Jam out in my Ja 1s summer 2003.”
STAY UP-TO-DATE: Subscribe to our Sports newsletter now!
Carr and his mother Krissi live in Gallatin, Tennessee, and made the nearly 240-mile drive to Memphis for the game as a birthday present. Morant gave them both hugs and also posed for pictures with them. He later sent out a tweet telling Carr to “go jam out my guy.”
“I can tell during warmups how big a fan he was. He was screaming my name, cheering for me making shots in warmups. I knew he was a big fan,” said Morant, who had 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the win. “I’m doing this thing where I’m giving a pair of my shoes out. Honestly, I know a lot of people want them right now and it’s not released yet in store and online. I read the sign and from then on, I knew who was getting the pair of shoes.
“You can tell how much he wanted it and loved it. It’s a great thing to see. It leaves you speechless when you see somebody that big of a fan of you to bust out and cry and then it was even more crazy to see his mom crying as well. I know that touched both of their hearts and it’s something they’ll never forget.”
It was a touching gesture for Morant, who shared on Twitter that he’ll pick 12 fans on Jan. 12 to receive a pair of his shoes based on who shares their story using the hashtag “#Jas12DaysofChristmas.” The shoes won’t be released to the public until April but Carr is now the only person in the world outside of Morant’s daughter Kaari and father Tee who own a pair.
The gift also became another reminder why Morant has endeared himself to fans beyond his high-flying, athletic ability.
