НБА-гийн од тоглогч Жа Морант өөрийн нэр хүнд болон хувийн төлөвшлийн талаарх шүүмжлэлд хариулт өгч, Портлэнд Трэйл Блэйзэрс дэх шинэ үеэ эхлүүллээ.
Өнгөрсөн хугацаанд сахилгын зөрчил болон бэртэл гэмтлийн улмаас хүндхэн сорилттой тулгарсан Морант өөрийгөө өөрчлөгдөж, илүү төлөвшсөн гэдгээ онцлов. Тэрээр өнгөрсөн долоо хоногт Портлэнд Трэйл Блэйзэрсийн шинэ дасгалжуулагч Мика Норитой уулзсан бөгөөд багийн зүгээс түүнийг шинэ орчинд амжилттай нэгдэнэ гэдэгт итгэлтэй байна. Морант өөрийн хуучин дугаар болох 12-ыг ЛаМаркус Олдрижийн хүндэтгэлд зориулан солихыг зөвшөөрч, шинэ улиралд 1 дугаартайгаар талбайд гарахаар болжээ.
Багийн хуучин хамтрагч Диллон Брүүкс түүнийг багийнхандаа маш их анхаарал тавьдаг, шилдэг нэгэн гэж тодорхойлсон байна. Морант өөрөө ялалтад л анхаарлаа төвлөрүүлж байгаа бөгөөд байгальд ойр байх нь түүний сэтгэл зүйд эерэгээр нөлөөлж, шинэ эхлэлд тус болж байгааг ярьжээ. Портлэнд Трэйл Блэйзэрсийн хөгжөөн дэмжигчид болон багийн удирдлагууд түүнийг хэрхэн хүлээн авах нь зөвхөн тоглогчийн өөрийн хичээл зүтгэлээс хамаарах болно.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
LAS VEGAS — It’s all wrong, Ja Morant says. His image, how other people see him … it’s all wrong.
Once the darling of the NBA, the next heartthrob to splash on posters and commercials, the acrobatic point guard concedes he is viewed negatively. He was twice suspended by the NBA for brandishing a gun on social media, once suspended by Memphis for his on-court behavior, and forever cemented as a problem.
“A bad guy,” Morant said of his image.
On Saturday, while wearing a crisp, new black Portland Trail Blazers polo shirt, Morant talked of fresh starts, a rejuvenated and nature-loving version of himself and the desire to change narratives.
He says he is not that bad guy some see.
“I’m Ja,” he said.
And with that open-ended assessment, one of the great experiments in Trail Blazers history is underway.
What does being Ja mean? And who exactly is Ja the player, and Ja the person?
Is he the volatile and petulant point guard who argues with his coach? Or is he the captain that former teammate Dillon Brooks raves about, the one who says Morant cares more about his teammates than himself? Is he the injury-prone player who has played only 79 games over the last three seasons? Or is he the explosive, rim-attacking highlight reel who has made two All-Star teams?
It will all be under the microscope this season in Portland. Morant knows the scrutiny is coming, and he says he is ready for it.
“I feel like over the years, I’ve grown a lot,” Morant said. “You know, I learned a lot. My mindset changed. … I go into things differently now. So, I just feel like I’m more mature. I’m just ready to work, y’all.”
The pessimists will roll their eyes and poo-poo Morant’s outlook. Seen it before, heard it before. But newly hired head coach Micah Nori, who had lunch with Morant last week in South Carolina, came away from his meeting impressed and insisting a better version of Morant was ahead. After listening in on Morant’s interaction with the media on Saturday, Nori flashed an “I-told-you-so” look.
“I know a bulls—— when I see one,” Nori said. “And he’s not bulls——-.”
Over the course of his 11-plus minutes answering questions, Morant said he doesn’t care if he starts or comes off the bench. He said he cares only about winning. He said he is injury-free. And he said he wanted to continue wearing No. 12, but upon listening to the organization and their explanation that franchise standout LaMarcus Aldridge wore No. 12, he conceded and chose No. 1.
“The organization had other plans for (number 12),” Morant said. “So, I honored it.”
He chose No. 1 because it dovetails with a saying his mother instilled in him as a youth: you are beneath no one. So, on his social media, Morant played off the adage and his new number: Beneath No. 1.
“It was just something my mom always told me when I was younger,” Morant said. “Obviously, I was underrecruited, so it was some type of motivation and confidence. So it was the first thing (his mother) texted me. … She texted how I could put the No. 1 under it.”
On Saturday, it was clear Morant embarks on this chapter desiring to be loved. To be forgiven. And to be accepted and embraced.
He said the gun issues that led to him being suspended twice are behind him.
“I mean, obviously, I’ve done what I’ve done in the past, but it’s been addressed and handled already, so I don’t see why, years later, that’s still the topic, when nothing happened since. You know?” Morant said. “And I felt like if I was that guy, y’all wouldn’t be talking to me now. I wouldn’t be here.”
On Friday night in Las Vegas, Morant sat with his new teammates at the Blazers’ Summer League contest. As Morant laughed with Donovan Clingan and slapped Shaedon Sharpe on the knees, Brooks, one of his former teammates in Memphis, stopped to catch up. The two hugged like long-lost brothers. They smiled, and each took turns tightening their grip on the hug. It’s the type of hug — that long, that hard, that intense — that comes only from deep friendship, deep understanding.
I asked Brooks afterward what we need to understand about Morant, what should we know about him?
He said we should understand he is an amazing teammate, one who organizes team dinners looks after young players. And Brooks said Portland will fall in love with him, not only because he is an electric player, but because he pours out what is poured in.
“I would say treat him as he was your son, your brother, your uncle or family,” Brooks said. “Because you will get a lot more back from him.”
Morant already seems open to an extended embrace with Portland and Oregon. He talked Saturday about his newfound love of nature. In his home state of South Carolina this summer, he has been biking, kayaking and fishing.
“I don’t know if y’all been paying attention to me lately, but I’ve been kind of into nature,” Morant said. “So, I feel like (coming to Oregon) is a bonus for me.”
It is during these nature excursions that he has started to reflect on life. What he has been through, what is ahead.
“Just being grateful for, you know, being alive … the things I do have, my family, and to now have a, you know, a fresh start,” Morant said. “It was just mind-clearing.”
All that he seeks: love, forgiveness, acceptance … a fresh start. It’s all here in Portland for Morant.
This is a special city when it comes to its basketball team. We love nothing more than when the players meet us on our level. The ones who are curious about our city and come love it for all its quirks, all its beauties and all its struggles … they become one of us for life.
Damian Lillard locked arms with us on the Burnside Bridge in protest of George Floyd’s death. Bill Walton played hoops and soccer with us at Wallace Park, then rode his bike back to his Northwest Portland home. Brian Grant became a regular at Cafe du Berry, gushing over the decadent French toast. Clyde, Jerome, Terry, Uncle Cliffy … they all lived here long after their careers were over. And they all live in our hearts forever.
Morant has that welcome mat in front of him now. Whether he walks in is up to him.
