Ja Morant laments seventh drug test of season

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Grizzlies' Ja Morant laments being called for seventh drug test of season

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/17/23

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is having another monster season, one that will likely earn him his second straight All-Star honor.

Morant has become the epitome of a human highlight reel as he ascends towards superstardom, with his wide variety of posterizing dunks and other jaw-dropping plays. One perceived negative consequence of his standout play -- according to the former Rookie of the Year -- is his apparent increase in random drug test requests from the NBA.

been drug tested like 6 times this season . walked in the arena & found out i got another one today
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) January 17, 2023

Morant led the Grizzlies to a 30-point blowout win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday, finishing with 29 points and seven assists. The Murray State product is averaging career highs in points (27.5) and assists (7.9) per game, while matching his career-best mark from last season in rebounds per contest (5.7).

The 23-year-old has played in 36 of the team's 43 games thus far and is one of the main reasons Memphis (30-13) is on a 10-game winning streak that has propelled them into a first-place tie with the Denver Nuggets atop the Western Conference. Morant won back-to-back Western Conference Player of the Week awards to begin January and leads the team in scoring and assists by a wide margin.

The former No. 2 overall pick is far from the first professional athlete to complain about their league's random drug tests and surely won't be the last. Among the recent star players to take to social media and vent about drug test policies have been the recently retired J.J. Watt and New England Patriots star defensive end Matthew Judon.

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