NBA legend calls out Grizzlies star heading into 2023-24

Throughout his tenure in the association, Ja Morant has managed to establish himself as one of the top stars the NBA has to offer and has helped guide the Memphis Grizzlies to the postseason in all but one of his four professional seasons.

That said, despite his two All-Star nods, a 2022 All-NBA selection, and the tremendous overall impact he’s had on the team from a success standpoint, NBA legend Paul Pierce still believes the point guard has plenty of work to do, particularly when it comes to reshaping his image, as the Hall of Famer suggests his current persona has and will continue to impact his status as a player.

Pierce on Grizzlies’ Ja Morant: ‘He’s got the most to show and the most to prove’

"“He gotta really change his narrative on himself and show people who he really is,” Pierce said of Morant when talking about who he’s ‘looking forward’ to seeing play this season on Ticket and the Truth. “A lot of things are getting lost in translation with him. I mean, he’s not on the USA team…he’s one of the top-10, top-15 players in the world and he’s not on the USA team, and probably rightfully so. But I’m looking for him to reestablish who he is on and off the court because I think he’s got the most to show and the most to prove.”"

Throughout last season, Morant found himself in quite a bit of trouble with both the league and the law as a result of his numerous off-court issues, most notably his Instagram Live video debacle where he appeared to flash a gun while at a club.

The footage earned the star a two-game team-issued suspension, which would later turn into nine-missed outings.

Unfortunately, the firearm troubles didn’t stop at season’s end, as the 24-year-old was seen yet again flashing a gun during another Instagram Live on May 14. This, as many are already aware, earned him another suspension, though this time in the form of 25 games to start the upcoming regular season.

Sadly, these decisions have drawn attention more toward the Grizzlies star’s antics rather than his on-court production, which was seemingly at an all-time high during the 2022-23 campaign where he posted career-best averages in assists (8.1) and rebounds (5.9) while scoring a whopping 26.2 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field.

Coming into year five, all eyes will be on Morant as spectators wait to see whether he chooses to clean up his act or steer himself more toward his recent troubles.

Pierce, along with the vast majority of others, is hoping to see the former take place in 2023-24.

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