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via Imago

via Imago

Ja Morant’s year has been troublesome, to say the least. The Memphis Grizzlies superstar got suspended for 25 games to start the 2023-24 season after showing a firearm on his friend DTap’s Instagram Live. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver penalized Morant for detrimental conduct to the league. The suspension cost Ja over $7 million. However, the 24-year-old made his NBA return on December 19th against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been undefeated since Ja Morant’s return, and he is playing like he never left. So, 7 days into his NBA return, Ja left his past behind and reminisced about his “Twin” DTap on social media.

Ja Morant acknowledges DTap’s appreciation post

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Davonte Pack a.k.a. DTap is Ja Morant’s long-time friend. DTap shared a story on his Instagram account wearing Ja’s new Nike signature shoes, ‘Ja 1 Hunger’. He wrote, “You ain’t missin twin.” Ja Morant saw the post and re-shared the story on his Instagram account, acknowledging his lifelong friend. Ja and DTap were teammates for the South Carolina Hornets, where they played AAU basketball alongside Zion Williamson. They have been close friends for a long time, and Ja even wears merchandise to promote DTap’s brand ‘MBNO’.

USA Today via Reuters

But Ja and DTap’s relationship took a hit when the Memphis Grizzlies superstar got into trouble for displaying a firearm on DTap’s live video. DTap was immediately scrutinized by the NBA world and deemed a bad influence on Ja. After the incident, Morant unfollowed DTap and all of his business accounts on social media.

But the two friends seem to have buried the hatchet, as Ja has followed DTap back and is even re-sharing his posts. Maybe a historic return from suspension is exactly what Morant needed to leave his past behind.

Read More: NBA Veteran Disputes Zion Williamson’s NBA ‘Highlight’ Only to Boost Grizzlies’ Ja Morant

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Can Ja Morant redeem himself by saving the Grizzlies?

There have been a lot of questions about Ja Morant’s credibility as an NBA superstar off the court. But Ja silenced his critics after he had a historic performance on his return to action. Ja played his first game of the season on December 18th and went off for 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. To top things off, Ja scored a buzzer-beating game-winner to get Memphis their 7th win of the season. Ja has had two 30+ point games since his return, and the Grizzlies look like a different team with him in the line-up.

Memphis is currently 13th in the Western Conference standings with a 9-19 record. If Ja Morant continues to play at an All-Star level and gets the Grizzlies into the playoff picture, it will be one of the best comeback stories in recent memory. Ja has a chance to redeem his reputation and make the NBA world forget about his past off the court.

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Can Morant successfully rebuild the Grizzlies’ season from here on?

Watch This Story: LeBron James Pens Heartfelt Welcome Message to Ja Morant Upon NBA Return