Google News Stephen A. Smith tells Ja Morant: NBA has got connections with FBI
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ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith has warned Ja Morant that the NBA "has got connections with the FBI." In the early hours of Saturday morning, Morant filmed himself flashing a video inside a nightclub. The video quickly went viral and the Memphis Grizzlies responded by suspending Morant for at least two games.
“And so many times, we don’t tell these players this: The NBA has off-duty police officers. They got connections with the FBI. They got connections with everybody. The NBA knows what you’re doing. They know who you’re doing it with.
They know where you are. They know how you’re conducting yourself at all times," Smith said on ESPN, per The New York Post.
Smith to Morant: You have to think more wisely
Morant, the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, has been great basketball-wise since coming to the league.
But he is not a stranger to controversy and Smith is warning Morant that he could lose it all if he continues to do unwise stuff. “You are a superstar. You are 23 years old. You got a deal that kicks in next year that could exceed $231 million over the next five years, and on this show, on national television, there’s you associated with police.
Think about that for a second and then ask yourself, ‘Is it really, really worth it?’ You know the answer to that, bro. It’s not worth it," Smith added. Meanwhile, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant could be suspended over two games.
Also, Jenkins claimed that the Grizzlies are "treating the situation very seriously." "We're taking this very seriously. There's a supportive element for someone that's got to get better and needs some help. But then there's also accountability to the team that we've got to stand for.
Obviously nationwide, leaguewide, there's been a lot of attention on gun violence, and so for us, that's the stance that we've taken about how we can support Ja throughout this growth opportunity. It's a learning opportunity, and hopefully we can be better from it," Jenkins added.