Ja Morant Trashes Stephen A. Smith For Saying Players Don’t Feel Safe In Memphis

Ja Morant just went off on Stephen A. Smith for saying that NBA players don’t feel safe in Memphis.

The young star didn’t hold back, calling Smith out on social media and defending his city. And honestly, who could blame him? Memphis may not be as flashy as LA or New York, but it’s got its own vibe and the Grizzlies have some die-hard fans.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported immediately after that the team wants to keep its two remaining building blocks. The feeling is apparently mutual on Morant’s end. In a message posted to X on Tuesday, the point guard expressed his desire to remain in Memphis, saying “ima be in dat 901,” referencing the city’s area code.

Continuing in what seemed to be a response to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith — who said on First Take other players don’t want to go to Memphis for safety concerns — Morant made a criticism of people focusing on the Grizzlies rather than the ongoing NBA Finals: “instead of focusing on the performances we seen from jdub/shai , tj/siakam, how this series is going . we say sumn negative about a city/team on a national level.”

As hit dogs do, Smith hollered in a tweet of his own, citing the recent trade news as his reason for addressing the Grizzlies. And as Smith does, he turned Morant’s response into another First Take segment on Wednesday, clarifying his position. “The citizens in Memphis, I think a lot better can be done for them,” Smith said. “And Ja Morant staying put and being the galvanizing force he can be, I think can assist in that. That’s what I was trying to say.”

But this isn’t about Smith. This is about Morant.

That he wants to remain in Memphis and seems to have so much passion for the city has to be welcoming news for Grizzlies fans, who were probably dreading an upcoming rebuild after the Bane deal. At his best, Morant is one of the most exciting players in the NBA, and it’s hard not to feel like the 25-year-old hasn’t scratched the surface of his full potential. The Grizzlies have made the playoffs in four of his six years with the team, and even if they aren’t winning, he’s reason enough for fans to show up.

It’s not every day you see a player clap back at a big-time media personality, but Ja wasn’t having any of it. And you have to respect him for standing up for his team and his city. So next time you think about dissing Memphis, just remember – you might have Ja Morant coming for you!

Flip to the next page for all the back and forth…

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