Ja Morant’s name has been through the wringer lately, and somehow his dad, Tee Morant, got dragged along for the ride. Between suspensions, fines, and lost endorsements, Ja’s off-court actions have reportedly cost him a jaw-dropping $50 million. And while the NBA world’s been trying to make sense of it all, Stephen A. Smith just stepped in with a big-time reality check — especially for those throwing shade at Tee Morant.
Let’s be honest, Tee Morant has become almost as recognizable as his son — courtside with the sunglasses, always animated, always supportive. But when Ja started making headlines for the wrong reasons (you know, the infamous Instagram Live gun incidents), some folks started pointing fingers at his dad, too. That’s when Stephen A. came in hot.
“Ja Morant isn’t some awful dude,” Smith said. “He’s not some dude looking to start trouble. Neither is his dad. Dad’s a little conspicuous at the games with the shades on… he actually happens to be a real fun-loving guy.”
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
That’s a key point — because for all the internet noise about Tee Morant being a “bad influence,” there’s been little actual evidence of that. Ja himself has stood up for his dad multiple times, making it clear Tee’s been a rock in his life, not a wrecking ball. In fact, Tee even told a group of young players last summer, “My son didn’t get in trouble because of people around him; he got in trouble because of his decisions.” Now that’s accountability.
Ja’s $50 Million Loss: A Breakdown That’ll Make Your Head Hurt
So how exactly does someone lose $50 million without ever leaving the NBA?
Well, it starts with the suspensions. The first one came in March 2023 — eight games, no pay, after Ja went live on IG waving a gun around. That alone shaved $669K off his paycheck. The next one was way steeper. After a second gun-related video surfaced in May, he got slapped with a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season — boom, $7.6 million gone.
But that’s just the beginning. Because of those incidents, Ja didn’t make the All-NBA team in 2023. That might not sound like a huge deal… until you realize it cost him another $39 million. Without that All-NBA nod, he didn’t qualify for the “Rose Rule” max contract bonus — meaning his five-year extension stayed at $194M instead of jumping to $233M. Ouch.
Add in the endorsement fallout — Powerade pulling a big campaign, Nike pausing his shoe rollout — and the damage snowballs into that $50-60 million estimate.
Stephen A. didn’t hold back: “Madison Avenue came in your direction. You got derailed… between the suspensions and the endorsement or lack thereof that followed… that would leave a whole bunch of people bitter.”
As if things weren’t wild enough, Ja’s back in headlines this April after the NBA fined him again — this time for making finger-gun gestures during a game against the Miami Heat. The league hit him with a $75,000 fine, citing his past history and the promise he made to clean things up. Safe to say the NBA’s not playing around anymore.
Jan 15, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
And the league isn’t the only one watching closely. NBA legend Spencer Haywood chimed in recently, saying he hopes to reach out to Ja before things get worse. The general vibe? People are rooting for him — but the window of patience is starting to close.
Stephen A. nailed the vibe perfectly when he said, “Everybody that loves basketball should be rooting for you.” For all the chaos, Ja Morant is still that electric, jaw-dropping talent who was this close to becoming the NBA’s next big global superstar. And yes, he’s stumbled — hard. But he’s also only 25. There’s time to write a new chapter.
And let’s stop acting like Tee Morant is the villain in the story. He’s been at his son’s side from the start, guiding him, supporting him, and now taking criticism for decisions he didn’t even make. Sometimes being the loudest person in the room just makes you the easiest target.
So, if you’re looking for someone to blame for Ja Morant’s setbacks, maybe skip past the guy in the sunglasses and focus on what really matters: growth, accountability, and — hopefully — a bounce-back season with fewer headlines and more highlights.
Because basketball’s better when Ja’s doing Ja things. And that’s a fact.
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