Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Ja Morant Shares Heartwarming Exchange With His Mother Before Return From 25-Game Suspension

Originally posted on Fadeaway World
By Ishaan Bhattacharya | Last updated Dec 20, 2023 2:41 AM ET

Ja Morant exceeded expectations in his return from a 25-game suspension by making the game-winning shot to cap a 24-point comeback for the Grizzlies in a win over the Pelicans. After the win, he shared a text conversation with his mother on Instagram, showing the faith she showed in him and how he responded to it.

Ja Morant's Mom: "It's 'The Return' play your game. Let the game come tonight you!! Don't force nothing!!! You got this and will come out with a W!! Love you and Beneath NoOne!!"

Ja Morant: "Love you too"

Ja Morant's Mom: "You ready?"

Ja Morant: "I'm your son, you know the answer."

After the game, Morant's mother quickly reminded her son of the unending belief she has in him.

Ja Morant's Mom: "Yessir!! Never doubted you."

Ja Morant: "Tell 'em I'm coming, Ma. Love you."

On her birthday, Morant gave a nice present to his mother. One of the first viral moments of Ja's career came when he bought his mother a house with the money from his rookie contract. That's not enough to pay a supportive mother back, but it's clear Morant knows that and strives to make her proud.

He's coming off a rocky year, with his mother also being involved in one of the controversies surrounding him. With the presence of his father Tee in his day-to-day life, this could chart a new beginning for the Morant family as Ja continues to be on the path of an NBA superstar.

The Grizzlies PLaying Must-Win Games For The Rest Of The Season

Most teams go into the last month of the season with a bunch of must-win games on their schedule. The Grizzlies don't have that luxury if they still hope to be in the playoff mix, as every game from now on is a must-win for them. They are 12 games below .500, something which will be a major task to get over. With all 10 seeds in the West having records above .500, the Grizz have a long way to climb before they can be considered playoff threats.

A gap year in the middle of a star's prime isn't ideal, but we've seen various teams have to do it. Even the Warriors had consecutive seasons outside the playoffs before they won the 2022 title. Missing the playoffs won't be the end of the world for this young Grizzlies' squad that is primed to come back stronger next season. Reinforcing their roster with a possible lottery pick could help them improve, as we saw with the Mavericks turning the 12th pick into Dereck Lively II.

The Grizz will hope to climb back up the standings and do have the pieces to do so. Having an injured center rotation will hurt, but Bismack Biyombo has been a solid fill-in. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane were miscast in their roles and should have more success as complementary stars next to Morant. Marcus Smart coming back from injury should further boost their strength ahead of the new year.

A historic season comeback could be in the works, but it requires perfection from Memphis. It'll be fascinating to see if Morant can lead this team to that level after the year he's had.

This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: