If you’ve been searching for the latest on Ja Morant — his injury, the trade drama, his Nike Ja 3 shoes, or just basic facts like how tall he is — this is the one guide that covers it all. No fluff, no filler. Just the real story of one of the NBA’s most fascinating and controversial players, right up to April 2026.
Who Is Ja Morant? The Quick Answer
Ja Morant is a 26-year-old NBA point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, widely considered one of the most electrifying players of his generation. Born Temetrius Jamel Morant on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina, he was drafted second overall by the Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA Draft straight out of Murray State University. He won Rookie of the Year in 2020 and has since been a two-time NBA All-Star. But 2026? It’s been the most turbulent chapter of his career yet.
How Tall Is Ja Morant? Height, Weight & Physical Profile
Let’s settle this one right away because it comes up constantly.
Ja Morant stands 6 feet 2 inches tall (188 cm) and weighs 174 lbs (79 kg). According to Basketball-Reference, those are his official listed measurements, and they’ve been consistent throughout his professional career.
For a point guard, that’s actually pretty solid height. He’s not small — he just plays bigger than most people his size because of his explosiveness. His vertical leap and court vision make defenders feel like he’s 6’6″.
Interestingly, Morant wasn’t always this size. According to Britannica, as a middle schooler he was relatively undersized, which is why his father Tee drilled him constantly on footwork and jumping — more on that in a minute. A growth spurt eventually brought him to his current 6’2″ frame, which turned out to be perfect for his play style.
Who Is Ja Morant’s Dad? The Man Behind the Player
One of the most heartwarming parts of the Ja Morant story is his father, Tee Morant.
Tee Morant is a former semi-professional basketball player who attended Claflin University in South Carolina — and if you follow basketball, here’s a wild fact: Tee played high school basketball alongside Ray Allen, one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. According to Wikipedia, Tee seriously considered playing professional basketball overseas, but when his wife Jamie became pregnant with Ja, he gave it all up, came home, and became a barber.
That sacrifice shaped everything. Tee built training setups in the backyard, taught Ja step-back jumpers, and even bought tractor tires to help him practice jumping with a soft landing. He essentially became a one-man basketball academy for his son.
Today, Tee Morant is one of the most recognizable courtside dads in professional sports. He’s vocal, passionate, and absolutely refuses to stay quiet when he thinks his son is being wronged. Fans either love him or find him too much — but nobody can say he doesn’t care.
Ja Morant’s Injury Update (2025–26 Season)
This is the headline most people are searching for, so let’s get into it clearly.
Ja Morant will miss the entire remainder of the 2025–26 NBA season. The Memphis Grizzlies officially confirmed on March 24, 2026, that Morant is out due to a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) sprain in his left elbow. He received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and the team expects him to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026–27 season, per ESPN and Bleacher Report.
Before the elbow issue, he had already missed significant time with a Grade-1 right calf strain earlier in the season. In total, Morant played just 20 games in 2025–26 — averaging 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game on 41.0% shooting. Those are solid numbers when he played, but availability has become the defining problem of his career.
To put that in perspective: Morant has played in just 59 games combined over his last two seasons entering this year. That’s a significant concern for any franchise investing hundreds of millions in a player.
The Ja Morant Trade Saga — What Actually Happened?
This was the drama of the 2026 NBA trade deadline, and it didn’t end the way many expected.
The Grizzlies did explore trading Morant heading into the February 2026 deadline, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright. Multiple teams were contacted, but those talks never gained real traction. The reason? Memphis wasn’t interested in selling low.
According to NBC Sports, team brass felt strongly that any deal had to return more value than what Atlanta received when they traded Trae Young — and no team was prepared to offer that for an injury-prone Morant. So the deadline passed without a deal.
But here’s where things got interesting: After the deadline, ESPN reported that Morant had told people around the league — including players and former coaches — that he no longer wanted to play for Memphis. He had clashed with head coach Tuomas Iisalo throughout the season, and was even suspended one game in November 2025 for a locker-room confrontation. Per NBC Sports, the expectation now is that Morant will be in a new uniform next season. The Grizzlies, for their part, are reportedly ready to move on too.
One more gut-punch for Memphis fans: Jaren Jackson Jr. — Morant’s longtime teammate and franchise cornerstone — was traded to the Utah Jazz on February 3, 2026. Morant reposted the Grizzlies’ farewell video to JJJ on his Instagram story with a broken heart emoji and the caption “13-8.” That about sums up where things stand in Memphis.
Ja Morant’s Contract — The Numbers
Morant is under contract with the Grizzlies through the 2027–28 season. According to Spotrac and Yahoo Sports, here’s how the remaining deal breaks down:
- 2025–26: ~$39.4 million (current season)
- 2026–27: ~$42.2 million
- 2027–28: ~$44.9 million
That’s $87.1 million guaranteed over the next two seasons, per NBC Sports. For any team considering a trade this summer, that’s the biggest hurdle. You’re not getting Ja Morant on the cheap — you’re inheriting one of the league’s largest contracts, plus the injury history, plus the off-court baggage. That’s why the trade market has been described as lukewarm at best.
The good news for Morant? When healthy, he’s still capable of being an elite, All-Star caliber guard. The 2021–22 season remains proof — he averaged 27.4 points per game, led Memphis to the second seed in the West, and finished 7th in MVP voting. Teams know that player is still in there. It’s just a question of whether he can stay healthy long enough to prove it.
The Ja Morant Suspensions and Gun Incidents — A Full Timeline
There’s no honest profile of Ja Morant that doesn’t address this. So here it is, with verified facts only.
March 2023 — First Gun Suspension: Morant appeared on an Instagram Live video while inside a Denver nightclub holding a gun. The NBA suspended him for eight games and the Grizzlies temporarily pulled him from all team activities. Nike, after initially pausing communications, ultimately moved forward with his signature shoe release.
May 2023 — Second Gun Suspension: Just two months later, Morant appeared in another video, this time in a vehicle, displaying a firearm. The NBA suspended him for 25 games to start the 2023–24 season — the longest suspension the league handed down for that category of infraction. According to Yahoo Sports, that suspension cost him the opportunity for an All-NBA designation, which would have boosted his maximum contract by approximately $40 million.
Additional allegations: A separate 2022 incident involved a 17-year-old who alleged that Morant struck him during a pickup basketball game and brandished a weapon; no criminal charges were filed. Per Wikipedia, an incident near a Memphis mall that same summer also made headlines but similarly resulted in no charges.
Morant issued accountability statements following both major suspensions, acknowledging that his behavior had disappointed fans and hurt his team. He described 2023 as a “trying year mentally.”
November 2025: Morant was suspended one game by the Grizzlies — not the NBA — for his confrontation with coach Iisalo. A different category of incident, but it continued the pattern of controversy surrounding him.
The Ja Morant Strip Club Controversy (2023)
The Denver strip club incident refers to the first gun video from March 2023, which was filmed during a post-game night out. While the specific venue was described as a nightclub in Denver, multiple reports referenced it as an establishment Morant visited after a Grizzlies road game against the Nuggets. The video spread quickly on social media and immediately triggered the NBA’s investigation. That event directly led to his eight-game suspension — and set off the chain of events that defined the next two years of his career.
Nike Ja 3 Basketball Shoes — What You Need to Know
Despite all the off-court noise, Ja Morant’s sneaker line has been one of Nike’s biggest recent success stories.
The Nike Ja 3 — his third signature basketball shoe — was officially unveiled in April 2025 and debuted during the Grizzlies’ first-round playoff matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. According to Sneaker News, it quickly became one of the most worn shoes in the entire NBA, with more than a dozen pros lacing them up regularly, including Mikal Bridges who reportedly reaches for Morant’s model almost exclusively.
The design concept is called “Scratch” — inspired by the claw marks of a grizzly bear. The shoe features a bold overlay design, a reverse Swoosh logo placed vertically, lightweight mesh upper, and full-length ZoomX foam cushioning for both responsiveness and comfort. Multiple debut colorways — including the “NY v. NY,” “Light Show,” and “Max Volume” — sold out quickly, per Sneaker News.
Pricing for the Ja 3 basketball shoes ranges from approximately $87–$135 depending on the colorway and retailer. They’re available at Nike.com, Foot Locker, and other select retailers.
Morant said of the design: “I told the Nike design team I needed something that talks before I even lace it up… Don’t be scared. Push it. Make it rugged, make it different.” By all accounts, they delivered.
The history of his shoe line adds context: the original Ja 1 debuted on Christmas Day 2022, the Ja 2 followed, and the Ja 3 represents a significant design leap. Even during his 2023 controversies, when some retailers temporarily removed his shoes from their platforms, demand didn’t dry up — the Ja 1 “Hunger” colorway reportedly sold out in about 20 minutes, per multiple outlets including The Wall Street Journal (via Fox News).
Is Ja Morant Playing Tonight? (Current Status)
As of April 2026, No — Ja Morant is not playing. He was ruled out for the remainder of the 2025–26 season in late March 2026 due to his UCL elbow injury. The Grizzlies’ regular season has concluded, and Memphis finished 25–57, 12th in the Western Conference — out of the playoffs.
If you’re checking this during the offseason, expect major trade developments to dominate the news cycle. All signs point to Morant being dealt before or during the 2026–27 season.
What Happened to Jaren Jackson Jr.? (And Why It Matters)
If you follow the Grizzlies closely, you can’t talk about Ja Morant without mentioning Jaren Jackson Jr. — the two were supposed to be Memphis’s cornerstone duo for the next decade.
JJJ was traded to the Utah Jazz on February 3, 2026. He’s a versatile big man, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year finalist, and one of the most respected players in the Western Conference. Trading him signaled clearly that Memphis is shifting into rebuild mode.
For Morant, the departure of one of his closest friends on the team only deepened his frustration with the direction of the franchise — which, by all reports, is a major reason he told people he no longer wants to play there.
Ja Morant’s Best Season — What Was He at His Peak?
People forget just how special Morant was before the injuries and suspensions piled up.
In 2021–22, he averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game and led Memphis to a 56–26 record — second in the Western Conference. He won the Most Improved Player Award and was widely considered a future MVP candidate. He was athletic in ways that drew comparisons to Allen Iverson and a young Russell Westbrook — explosive off the dribble, fearless in traffic, and capable of completely taking over games.
At his best, Ja Morant was appointment television. The dunks went viral. The crossovers went viral. The floaters went viral. He was the kind of player who made casual fans tune into Grizzlies games they’d otherwise skip.
That player hasn’t disappeared. He’s just been buried under injuries and controversy for three straight years.
What’s Next for Ja Morant?
Honestly? This is the most open question in the NBA heading into the 2026 offseason.
He’s expected to be traded, per multiple credible reports. The Sacramento Kings were mentioned as a team that had discussions with Memphis at the deadline, per NBC Sports, though nothing materialized. Other rebuilding or contending teams that miss out on bigger names like Giannis Antetokounmpo may circle back to Morant as an option.
The case for Morant is simple: when healthy, he’s a difference-maker. The case against him is equally clear: the contract is massive, the injury history is alarming, and the off-court drama is real.
He’s 26 years old. That’s young enough to have a second act. Whether he writes one depends on choices — both his own and those of whichever franchise eventually bets on him.
Quick Facts Summary: Ja Morant
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Temetrius Jamel Morant |
| Date of Birth | August 10, 1999 |
| Hometown | Dalzell, South Carolina |
| Height | 6’2″ (188 cm) |
| Weight | 174 lbs (79 kg) |
| Position | Point Guard |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Draft | 2019, 2nd overall pick |
| Signature Shoe | Nike Ja 3 |
| Contract (remaining) | ~$87.1M guaranteed through 2027–28 |
| Current Status | Out for season (elbow) |
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