Ja Morant's shoe deal with Nike appears to be safe after the Memphis Grizzlies star was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Nike said it "will continue to support" Morant in a statement provided to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne:
The NBA announced Morant's suspension, which stems from an Instagram Live video posted on May 13 of him brandishing a handgun, on Friday. The league also noted the 23-year-old will "be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension."
Morant issued a statement apologizing for his actions and vowed to spend the offseason and suspension "continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making."
This marks the second suspension Morant has received for a gun-related incident on social media. He was suspended eight games without pay in March for conduct detrimental to the league after posting a video of himself on Instagram Live holding a firearm inside of a Denver-area nightclub.
"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," Nike said in a statement after the March incident.
Nike briefly removed Morant's signature "Hunger" sneakers from its website in the wake of the second gun-related video being posted on social media.
Morant signed a five-year deal with Nike in May 2019, one month before he would become the No. 2 overall pick by the Grizzlies in the NBA draft.
Nike's initial release of the "Ja 1 Hunger" shoes on May 25 sold out minutes after being made available.
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