Ja Morant Stands By His Father After He's Accused Of Enabling Bad Choices

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is standing by his dad.

After someone from the Grizzlies organization called Ja's father, Tee Morant, the "driving force" behind his recent misconduct, the NBA star took to social media to defend and support him.

Crediting his father for "this hoopin shii," Ja shared a photo on his Instagram Story of his dad watching him courtside.

The Grizzlies star, who's currently suspended for 25 games, also shared a similar sentiment on X, formerly known as Twitter.

With comments only allowed from accounts Ja follows, there's no way to tell what fans are thinking about the things shared in a story published earlier this week by ESPN.  The story recalls Ja's behavior over the past 18 months and includes comments from an unnamed Grizzlies source who placed the blame on Tee for Ja's bad choices.

"Tee has been a major driving force in all of this," the team source said. "He never made the NBA, but this was his chance to live like he's an NBA superstar. That's been a problem from the beginning."

The source also explained that Tee moved to Memphis shortly after Ja was drafted and enjoyed his son's rise to stardom. But with all that enjoyment, Tee also was a big part of some incidents. He confronted former NFL player Shannon Sharpe at a Los Angeles game in January, as well as argued with Pacers players during a Grizzlies home game, also in January. The source said that Tee's presence and the incidents that occurred dismayed some in the organization.

As many NBA fans and fans of Ja's placed the bulk of the blame on the friends he was keeping for his recent trouble, Tee wasn't going that route. While speaking at the Up Next Elite Camp in New Orleans in August, Tee preached about being "mindful of every decision" you make.

"I'm coming from, speaking for my son, like make sure anytime, anywhere, know the capabilities of everybody around you. My son didn't get in trouble for the people around him. He got in trouble for his decisions," he said. "So always be mindful of every decision y'all are making, because it could pretty much, take over you and consume you and make you think that you're who you're not."

He continued to explain the importance of remembering that everything is watching you magnified and the "smallest thing you can do can make the biggest difference in your life." He also reminded everyone to "make the right decision."

Ja, who was suspended for 25 games after flashing a gun on Instagram Live for the second time this year, will be eligible to return to the court with his team on December 19 when the Grizzlies face the New Orleans Pelicans.

After the May incident, the NBA star issued a statement taking accountability for his actions and promising to make more responsible decisions moving forward.

"I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me. This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do," Ja said in a statement. "My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my action. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself."