Nike Standing By Ja Morant: 'We Will Continue To Support Him'

Not long after Ja Morant's suspension was announced on Friday morning, Nike released a statement regarding the Memphis Grizzlies star.

The shoe and apparel giant, who Morant, 23, has a shoe deal with, plans to stand by the NBA star.

Shortly after the league announced its decision to suspend the Morant for 25 games, Nike released a statement about their partnership.

"Nike is pleased that Morant is taking accountability and prioritizing his well-being," the company said in a statement. "We will continue to support him on and off the court."

Nike also released a statement supporting Morant after his first Instagram Live gun incident back in March.

Morant is just one of 23 Nike-sponsored NBA players to get a signature shoe line. He signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019. Despite his recent trouble, Nike released his Ja 1 shoes and they've sold out quickly. A new Ember Glow colorway is expected to be released to the public on July 3.

In November of last year, Nike released a statement regarding NBA star Kyrie Irving after he shared a link to an antisemitic documentary.

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the statement reads.

“To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”

Ramona Shelburne, senior writer at ESPN.com, tweeted Nike's statement regarding Morant and many followers and fans compared Morant's situation to Irving's.

"Nike so fast to end the relationship on Kyrie but not on Ja Morant," one person commented.

Another said, "Wild to me that Nike stands with JA after 2 incidents but kicks Kyrie to the curb for sharing a link. Shows these companies are driven by money."

One other follower added, "What if he tweeted a link to a movie Nike? Oh, waving guns is less dangerous than movies. Got it." 

Not long after the Grizzlies star's suspension was announced on Friday morning, he released a statement that included an apology to many, as well as a promise to his brand sponsorships.

"I’ve had time to reflect and I realize how much hurt I’ve caused. I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates, and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman, and Robert Pera — who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me — I’m sorry for the harm I’ve done," his statement began.

"To the kids who look up to me, I’m sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I’m going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I’m going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I’m going to make it up to you, I promise."

Fans took to the comment section of NBA on ESPN's Instagram post regarding Morant's statement.

"He sounds a little more genuine with this one. But we can’t judge anyone. We all deal with our own demons," one person shared.

Another added, "He’s young enough to right the wrongs. He’s rich enough to not have to worry about struggling during his downtime."

And then there's the other side of the argument.

One fan wrote, "25 games are really nothing when the season starts that will go by fast. Should at least have been 41. Half the season if not the whole season. I'm sure his antics have gotten people killed already that glorify that behavior."

Another follower added, "I don’t think anyone’s gonna believe him until he proves it with his actions."