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NBA Legend Shares Powerful Message for Ja Morant

Charles Barkley spoke on Ja Morant before the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors game
Joey Linn|
NBA Legend Shares Powerful Message for Ja Morant
NBA Legend Shares Powerful Message for Ja Morant

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Memphis Grizzlies

NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley shared a powerful message on the Ja Morant gun incident before Thursday night's broadcast between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors.

"To have one of our brightest stars have three gun incidents is way over the limit," Barkley said pregame. "I hope the kid grows up and matures and gets better people around him. I think one of the reasons Adam Silver has been quiet - I think the Grizzlies are like 'Hey, he's out. He's going to be out at least four more games, we're not gonna just pat him on the wrist and throw him back out there.' But it's time for Ja Morant to grow up. Man, you can't screw this up. You're one of the best basketball players we got in this league, you're one of the new faces of our league and you're out here acting like a damn fool and idiot. It's not all on him, it's the people around him."

Barkley continued, saying, "Being famous ain't easy, especially now. With all these video cameras and you got to really surround yourself with adults. I feel bad about the situation because I don't know the kid."

Barkley also added that Morant's major contract extension is about to kick in, which leaves even less excuse for the way he has been behaving. Needless to say, Morant has a lot to figure out.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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