Home Basketball Ja Morant’s dad Tee has been a ‘major driving force’ in his off-court problems, Memphis Grizzlies insider claims… with the ex-college player accused of ‘living like he’s an NBA superstar’

Ja Morant’s dad Tee has been a ‘major driving force’ in his off-court problems, Memphis Grizzlies insider claims… with the ex-college player accused of ‘living like he’s an NBA superstar’

Basketball — 10/21/2023

A Memphis Grizzlies player asserts that one of the “major driving forces” behind the off-court issues that have marred Ja Morant’s NBA career is his father Tee.

Ja Morant

Currently serving a 25-game suspension without pay, Morant, 24, caused controversy earlier this year when he was spotted brandishing firearms in two different viral videos.

Tee Morant, pictured with his son (right) and Raptors super-fan Nav Bhatia (left), is said to have contributed to his son's demise

The Grizzlies suspended him nearly a year after he signed a record-breaking $194 million, five-year contract, making it the largest deal in team history. By his third season, he had nearly single-handedly led the team to a 22-win improvement.The point guard and his buddies allegedly got into a fight at a Memphis mall in July 2022 after the salesperson of a sneaker store had an argument with Morant’s mother. This incident occurred before the gun-waving films surfaced.

A week later, he was accused of hitting a 17-year-old during a fight at his house, and in January, some of his friends allegedly flashed a red laser at members of the Indiana Pacers traveling party—possibly with a gun in hand.

Additionally, Grizzlies insider Tee’s son Ja is primarily to blame for his current troubles, according to ESPN.

Tee was involved in a bust-up with NFL legend Shannon Sharpe at a Grizzlies game in January

Tee, an HBCU in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and the former high school teammate of Hall of Famer Ray Allen, played collegiate basketball at Claflin University before failing to break into the major leagues.

Tee Morant

The Memphis teammate claims that Ja’s success has given the 45-year-old the opportunity to “live like he’s an NBA superstar,” which has led to his son’s deviance from the game.

According to the insider, “Tee has been a major driving force in all of this.” Though he never made it to the NBA, this was his opportunity to live the life of a superstar. That has been an issue ever since.

According to a startling claim, when the Grizzlies selected Jared Morant as the second overall pick in 2019, they saw absolutely no red flags regarding his behavior off the court.

The former college player has been accused of using his son's career as a chance to 'live like he's an NBA superstar' - (Pictured: Tee Morant with pop singer Usher in April 2022)

As the seasons progressed, however, an increasing number of warning signs surfaced. Most notably during the 2021–22 campaign, Morant and Tee were known to frequently go out to drink at some of Memphis’ “seedier establishments and strip clubs,” even on nights before games.