Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant returned from a 25-game suspension Tuesday night against the conference-rival New Orleans Pelicans in the Bayou.
Morant had been suspended to open the season after multiple off-court incidents relating to firearms. He was the talk of the Association late last season and into the summer months. It was not because of Morant’s elite all-around play and status as one of the NBA’s best young players. Instead, it was all about his off-court actions.
Until Tuesday night in the Bayou.
Morant and his Grizzlies found themselves down 24 points late in the second quarter. New Orleans had gone on a 28-2 run to energize the home crowd.
That’s when Ja Morant went full Ja Morant. The star guard led his team all the way back, scoring 14 points in the final 7:15 minutes of action in the fourth quarter.
With the game tied at 113 in the final seconds, Morant then took it upon himself to drive into the lane and pull off the game-winning layup as time expired. It was an entire scene inside Smoothie King Center.
Talk about electrifying those watching the game. You could even hear those in attendance in New Orleans react with utter shock over what Morant did.
In his first action since April of 2023, Morant put the Grizzlies on his back with a performance that reminded us just how talented of a basketball player he is.
Morant also sent a note to the naysayers after the win.
Including that game winner, Morant’s stat line in a 115-113 win over New Orleans was absurd. The All-Star guard scored 34 points on 12-of-24 shooting, adding six rebounds and eight assists in the process. He was on another level.
Related: Ja Morant return, only his actions will tell if the Memphis Grizzlies star has learned his lesson
NBA world reacts to Ja Morant returning from suspension in grand fashion
What Morant did in his return to action against 2019 NBA Draft mate Zion Williamson and the Pelicans was not lost on those watching the game.
It did not take long for the former NBA Rookie of the Year to make his presence known. But when Morant hit the game-winner on a driving layup as time expired, it sent the NBA world into a frenzy.
That included GOAT LeBron James.
The suspended Draymond Green reacted, too. Talk about irony.
The rest of the NBA world was in on it, too.