Skip Bayless believes Ja Morant’s cryptic Instagram posts from Wednesday morning, which had been shortly deleted, are “a cry for assist” as they got here 11 days after the Grizzlies star was filmed on Instagram Reside holding a gun for the second time in lower than three months.
Throughout Wednesday’s installment of FS1’s “Undisputed,” the host stated his good buddy, rapper Lil Wayne, requested to attach him with Morant after the Grizzlies star shared regarding messages on his Instagram Story, together with one which simply stated, “bye.”
“After I first noticed this earlier this morning, it stopped me in my tracks,” Bayless stated of Morant’s reported posts, which included pictures of his household.
“As a result of — to your level [co-host Shannon Sharpe] — we take this very severely. Was this a cry for assist? I don’t know for certain, nevertheless it felt prefer it. Within the context of what’s taking place, it actually may very well be.”
The pictures, which have since been deleted, had been circulated on social media.
Later Wednesday, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Workplace in Tennessee despatched police to Morant’s dwelling for a welfare test, with a spokesperson telling TMZ Sports activities that the 23-year-old NBA All-Star “is okay.”
The sheriff’s workplace couldn’t affirm TMZ’s reporting when reached by The Publish.
“Usually, folks don’t get on IG and say, ‘Bye, Mother. Bye, Dad. Love you, Mother. Love you, Dad,’ after which present himself strolling away,” Sharpe stated, referring to Morant’s reported messages.
Bayless went on to say that Lil Wayne tried to succeed in out to Morant and by no means heard again.
“Lil Wayne stated, ‘I converse from expertise as a result of I made a mistake and I wound up on Rikers Island in jail for some time,’” Bayless stated. “So he stated, ‘I wished to speak to Ja about that.’”
Sharpe additionally stated he’d like to sit down down and discuss with Morant.
Bayless went on to say that he believes Morant can flip issues round.
“I’m gonna say it yet another time: there’s good on this child. There’s good,” he stated. “He turned his recreation round and gained Most Improved Participant.
“You may also then say, ‘Are you able to flip your life again round?’ Certain, you may. However you gotta commit.”
Morant was suspended by the Grizzlies after he appeared on a buddy’s Instagram Reside video holding a gun in a automotive on Could 13.
He reportedly faces a prolonged suspension because the NBA investigates the incident.
It got here after Morant was seen with a gun in a separate Instagram Reside on March 4 on the Shotgun Willie’s strip membership in Glendale, Colo. after a Grizzlies loss to the Nuggets in Denver.
A separate NBA investigation discovered that he was intoxicated on the time.
Final Tuesday, Morant launched an apology following the second video, which some believed was written by ChatGPT.
Bayless and Sharpe additionally mentioned that on a separate episode of “Undisputed.”
“I do know I’ve disillusioned lots of people who’ve supported me,” Morant stated in a press release, through ESPN. “It is a journey and I acknowledge there may be extra work to do.
“My phrases could not imply a lot proper now, however I take full accountability for my actions. I’m dedicated to persevering with to work on myself.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated he was “shocked” after seeing the second video.
“We’re within the strategy of investigating it and we’ll work out precisely what occurred as finest as we are able to,” Silver instructed Malika Andrews throughout ESPN’s Draft Lottery present final Tuesday.
“The video’s a bit grainy and all that, however I’m assuming the worst. We’ll work out precisely what occurred there.”
Following the primary gun incident in March, Morant flew to New York to fulfill with Silver, who handed him an eight-game suspension with out pay.
That very same month, Morant attended a brief counseling program in Florida, and was reinstated shortly after.
Morant signed a five-year rookie most extension with the Grizzlies value as much as $231 million in 2022.
