*Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended eight games for posting a video online of him displaying a firearm inside a strip clip.
Now the young athlete is speaking out about the incident in a new interview with Jalen Rose.
Their conversation comes after reports that Morant has checked into a counseling program to “work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
When asked about the gun incident in the strip club, Morant said that the gun was not his, The Source reports.
“The gun wasn’t mine. It’s not who I am. I don’t condone any type of violence, but I’ve taken responsibility for my actions. But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about, and change this narrative that everybody got.”
READ MORE: Ja Morant Reportedly Sidelined Indefinitely as He Enters a Counseling Program
Ja Morant sat down with @JalenRose in an exclusive interview about the incident that led to his suspension and his path forward. pic.twitter.com/t1WwL5dvrQ
— ESPN (@espn) March 15, 2023
Ja added: “Obviously, he said things I need to be better at, but more of just showing his support towards me. I accepted that, and I also sent my apologies to everybody—to the league, myself, my teammates, my family for putting that negativity towards all of us with a bad decision.”
Morant went on to apologize for his controversial antics.
“I used that as an escape, which I shouldn’t have. I feel like that’s the reason I made many bad decisions in my past, which doesn’t pretty much describe me, doesn’t describe Ja as a person. I’m a totally different person than what’s been shown in the media. That’s my job now. That’s why I took that time away, to become a better Ja, so everybody really can see who Ja really is and you know what he’s about.”
You can watch the full interview here at ESPN.
