sport news Nike releases statement in SUPPORT of Ja Morant after he apologized for ... trends now
Nike is backing Ja Morant and will not cut ties with the athlete after he appeared to flash a gun in an Instagram Live video from a strip club on Friday night.
Morant became the 23rd NBA player in history to launch a signature shoe with Nike last month, but has now been involved in four alleged gun-related incidents.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Memphis Grizzlies star, Nike released a statement sticking by their man.
The message, as reported by The Athletic, read: 'We appreciate Ja's accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.'
Hours after he was handed a two-game ban for his actions, Morant posted a groveling apology on social media, noting: 'I'm sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down.
Ja Morant appeared to hold up a gun in an Instagram Live video in the early hours of Saturday
Morant played for the Grizzlies on Friday night in Denver, just hours before the Instagram clip
He only launched his signature shoe last month, and Nike are sticking by him despite incident
'I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.'
Morant, 23, has since deactivated his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The two-time NBA All-Star first signed with Nike before he was drafted second overall by Memphis in 2019.
Morant is not the first NBA star to cause Nike problems in recent months - after Kyrie Irving was cut by the sportswear giant in the wake of his anti-Semitism scandal.
Irving faced criticism and backlash after sharing a link to the Amazon page for the 2018 film 'Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America' which contained anti-Semitic tropes.
Nike cut its ties with Irving in November after he initially refused to apologize for his controversial tweet.
In a statement, the company said it was 'deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation'.
The brand also said it would not launch the Kyrie 8s - the shoe designed by the player and company - which were set to be released later in November.
Morant is a huge name in the NBA but has been involved in a series of different controversies
Morant released a statement saying he will be taking some time away to receive help
Morant, meanwhile, is no stranger to hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months.
He was sued in September for allegedly punching a Tennessee teenager in the face during a pickup game, something the NBA star claims was in self defense.
New details from police interviews obtained by The Washington Post revealed that the 17-year-old told detectives from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office that the point
