Ja Morant is still getting flashbacks of the moment that nearly ruined his NBA career. Speaking in a recent live stream, the Memphis Grizzlies star explained why he doesn’t rock with Instagram anymore, or social media in general.
“I don’t really like IG [anymore], IG changed my life,” Morant said.
Ja Morant says he doesn’t like Instagram😭😭😭
“IG changed my life” pic.twitter.com/7eE8OvzGGc
— Playoff MEM (@PlayoffMem) September 10, 2025
Social media has become a big part of the NBA world, and most players use it as a way to market their careers, fulfill their endorsement deals, or connect to fans in a more personal way. Ja was like that too for a while, until a series of scandals completely changed how he engaged with social platforms.
Amid stories of inappropriate behavior behind the scenes, Morant’s worst offense was showing himself brandishing a gun on Instagram Live. He flashed it for just a few seconds, but it was enough to earn an eight-game suspension from the NBA and lose millions in sponsorships.
Despite releasing a full statement and reportedly seeking counseling, Morant was caught in the act again a few weeks later. This time, the NBA handed down a 25-game suspension for Morant that he had to serve the following season.
While Ja did end up back in action for Memphis, his career hasn’t been the same. Besides major hits to his reputation and status in the league, his stats have dipped across the board, going from 26.2 points and 8.1 assists in 2022-23 to 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per game in 2024-25.
Before his Instagram scandal, Morant was considered one of the faces of the NBA and the future of the Grizzlies franchise. Regarding talent and potential, he’s still among the best young players in the game, but his trajectory is going down right now after two straight subpar seasons.
The only hope of redemption for Morant is to deliver one of his best seasons yet in 2025-26. If he can return to where he was before the suspension, the Grizzlies may challenge for a top spot in the West. At 26 years old, he still has time, and the best may be yet to come.
NBA Fan Asks Morant To Join Tree Company
Ja’s livestream was very revealing, and it had plenty of moments that got the fans talking. One highlight of the show came when one fan asked him to join a tree planting company, clearly alluding to the current situation with Kawhi Leonard.
NBA Fan: “Ja, I got a tree company if you want to come on board.”
Ja Morant: “What kinda tree you talking about, bro?”
Someone asked Ja Morant to join his Tree company 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/JKMIsFH52C
— Playoff MEM (@PlayoffMem) September 10, 2025
Some fans think that joke went right over Ja’s head, but it still made for a hilarious moment given what we know about the Aspiration scandal. The now-bankrupt company branded itself as a tree-planting business and got involved with Clippers star Kawhi Leonard on an exclusive $28 million endorsement deal.
Not only did Kawhi not have to do anything for this money, but Aspiration itself was endorsed by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who poured roughly $50 million into the company. The whole situation is highly suspicious, but it’s also ideal for Leonard, who made out with millions for essentially doing nothing.
It would be an enticing “endorsement” deal for any player, but Morant wasn’t taking the bait. After being involved in plenty of his fair share of controversies, risking everything for an illegal endorsement deal with any company would put even more strain on Ja’s already damaged legacy.
