5 takeaways from Ja Morant’s insightful Pivot Podcast interview

Ja Morant spoke about the special relationship with his father, Tee Morant

Tee Morant, the father of Ja Morant, was brought up at a few different points during the interview.

“I don’t see why you get backlash for being a supportive Dad to your child,” Morant said of internet trolls who make fun of Tee Morant. The charismatic father had his share of tv time during the playoffs when he and Karl-Anthony Towns’ father had a friendly bet going on the outcome of the Grizz-Wolves series. And, Tee went viral once fans started to realize he looks like Usher— only to have Usher sit beside him courtside at a subsequent home game.

Host Fred Taylor mentioned a narrative that’s out there that in some parts of the black community, there are kids who don’t have their fathers in their day-to-day lives. So, having a very public example of that on national television and then vilifying that is strange behavior, indeed.

Having Tee Morant in Ja’s corner and watching him cheer and be proud sets a great example and combats the narrative Taylor’s talking about.

Having a supportive and proud Dad is not something Ja takes lightly, either.

“From our background, knowing that it’s a lot of people who didn’t have father figures in their life, but my Pops did that for me,” he said.

Tee gave up his pursuit of playing basketball in order to be present in his son’s life and help him grow into the young man that he is today.

“Hearing that story [about my father] pretty much made me go harder because I know he had that opportunity but he didn’t do it [so he could] raise me, be in my life,” Morant said in a poignant moment towards the end of the interview.

Ja Morant details what he’s doing to make the MVP leap

The Grizzlies point guard said he’s working on all areas of his game, but he’s been putting emphasis on a few things.

Being a more consistent shooter is one thing he mentioned specifically. If he can unlock that part of his game, he won’t have to absorb so much heavy contact in the paint and endure those long, hard falls to the hardwood.

He also said he’s working and getting stronger and getting his body right so he can hopefully be able to absorb some of that contact a little better when he does drive to the basket.