Ja Morant Victim Of Bizarre Ejection

It's one of the strangest player ejections you'll ever see. Joking with a superfan at the Memphis Grizzlies' game Saturday night, superstar Ja Morant was booted out of the game when official Ray Acosta overhead his comments.  

Here is the moment Ja Morant was ejected from tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/eSm5xb0qvx

— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) December 18, 2022

Near the end of the first half of the Grizzlies' game with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Morant was talking to a fan while free throws were being taken. The fan had asked Morant to "get goin'" as his team trailed by 20 points. Morant replied to the fan, “I’ll get goin’ but the refs need to give me a f***in’ whistle.”

Summary of the ejection:
-Memphis fans were encouraging him to get going. Basically said “we’re down 20, let’s get goin’.”
-Ja was talking to them and said “I’ll get goin’ but the refs need to give me a f***in’ whistle.” Ref heard it and he tossed him 🤣

— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) December 18, 2022

At that point, Acosta T'd him up for his second technical foul, resulting in the automatic ejection. 

But it got even crazier, when, from the locker room, Ja FaceTime'd his father who was still sitting courtside, and asked him to bring the phone to the fan in question, and Morant carried on the conversation with Lisa the fan via FaceTime.  

After the ejection, Ja Morant’s dad brought over his phone so Lisa could FaceTime with Ja.

Lisa told Ja how awful she felt. Ja, not at all upset with her, said “it’s all good.”

— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) December 18, 2022

The fan told Morant she felt bad she got him ejected, but he told her not to worry, “it’s all good.” 

After the game, Crew Chief John Goble said that Morant was assessed the second technical foul for "making a comment questioning the integrity of the officials."

Here's an explainer on the crazy Ja Morant ejection last night.

Written version here, via @jordangreer42 https://t.co/a3iiEqmdjp pic.twitter.com/Fc4UaCvs4g

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) December 18, 2022