Can Ja Morant Rehab his Image? | THE ODD COUPLE

THE ODD COUPLE – Chris Broussard & Rob Parker react to the return of Ja Morant to play for the Memphis Grizzlies and discuss how he could rehabilitate his reputation.

► SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/FSRYT_SUB
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxsportsradio/
► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@foxsportsradio
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxsportsradio/
► LISTEN LIVE: https://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/listen
► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foxsportsradio/

The debut long awaited uh debut for the season of John Morant Rob and um you know of course he was suspended for 25 games for a variety of things but Gunplay uh is really a big was a huge part of it of course uh and so he sat

Out the first 25 and they were terrible remember over the past few seasons as J emerged into being a superstar they actually won a lot of games at a high clip when he was out right this year completely different right they’re six and 19 um now that he’s back he’s missed the

First 25 games and so far um he’s got three points uh I got the game on you know he looks he’s moving fairly well um but he’s back and they obviously are hoping that they can um make a nice nice little Resurgence and get back into the Western Conference playoff race um but

What do your your thoughts on J of course for him obviously you want to win but for him it’s really about kind of rehab in His image and this is a guy that is was a superstar and and very young but had already become a superstar

One of the best young players in the league one of the best players period in the league and um you know he put all of that in Jeopardy because of some foolishness uh he’s only 24 years old he’s back and Rob G you said there were some booze when he was introduced even

Though the game is in uh well it’s in New Orleans right it’s in New Orleans and at least one reporter demichel Cole of the Memphis news beat he’s a beat rer for the Grizzlies said that when jaw was first introduced there was a loud mix of

Cheers and boo M from the opposing crowd which is to be expected in some way on the road Absolut but once he got his first touch during live game action loud smattering of booze in the arena he said quote Nola isn’t as happy to see John Morant as you that’s interesting what

What are your thoughts right yeah I’m I’m not surprised I mean it because this was self-inflicted like this was just especially after the first incident Chris where it was kind of clear and yet he right what was it a month or two months later he was suspended like eight

Games kind of a slap on the wrist and yeah it was I mean and it was later like a month or so later so I think I I don’t know if he can really rehabilitate His Image fully uh most of the time Chris

And and and I I I want to make it clear I’m not saying this is the same scenario okay please do not put words in my mouth but I I think it would be like like I’m going to say he would need to win an MVP get to the NBA finals like

Something of that magnitude for people to say man what a what a recovery what man look at what he did to get back cuz I think he’s the enemy or he’s the the Public Enemy for a lot of opposing fans not not at home you know they’ll probably be more forgiving especially if

The team starts to win now and they were bad but I think people look at him sideways for a while and usually winning is the thing that can totally whitewash Chris that way where people are just like okay and I always remember the one thing that I always

Remember and this is the the Ray Allen uh I mean the uh Ray Lewis thing Chris I I covered that Super Bowl when Baltimore won the super Super Bowl right yep and he was the MVP and he was great and all that but just one year earlier you remember what

He was involved in oh yeah he was involved now he wasn’t he he didn’t get convicted or anything but he was involved in where two men were killed right stabbed or whatever and died at the Super Bowl of the Year prior and and he was covered in blood

And uh the other two guys who were with him it was just a mess and one year later Chris he was a Super Bowl MVP and I remember writing my column and I only remember the lead because recently I was cleaning out some stuff and I saw this

It was on A1 of the Detroit news and the lead was something like Chris a year ago Ray Allen was coover Ray Allen Ray Lewis was covered in blood you know at this very same event and this year he’s covered in Champagne celebr crating you know this moment and when and all that

And what a turnaround it was and of course he’s a great player but but I don’t know if Jah can just do it by returning back to the player he was like if that’s enough that’s that’s what I’m saying is he’s got to do a little bit more for people

To shake that tag up am I being too hard you see what I’m saying because you said win MVP and I know we know I’m a voter uh and we know media votes for MVP Rob but I think he may he’ll have to go a long way

In cleaning up his image before he would win the MVP you know what I mean some guys will hold that against him um but you see what I’m saying like he needs wouldn’t I I I don’t I don’t know I think he’s a young man he’s only

24 and I look say what you want about America and all that but it is shown with athletes time and time again that it’s willing to give Second Chances and he has to be is you talking about that well I I I think people lump this all together I think they lumped

The eight game suspension the first incident along with this incident cuz he’s so young I mean he’s an immature young kid and if he yes of course he has to play well but if he will also show remorse if he you know is a good guy going

Forward um then I think he can rehabilitate the image um and of course his play you know he has to play well I mean it really has to play well to get back to being a superstar um but even if he let’s say he lost this game and he

Never was I don’t think this will happen think he’s going to be be great but let’s say he just was no longer a great player for whatever reason if he was a good guy and didn’t cause any more trouble um got rid of whatever associations he needed to that may have

Dragged him down into some negative stuff and changed himself however he needed to I think he could rehabilitate that image Rob remember and and Iverson didn’t have you know the incidents you know like flashing Sons like John Morant but you remember Rob I mean when his his girlfriend remember he like had the

Incident where she was like he kicked her out of the house in Philadelphia and she didn’t have any clothes on and I mean it was just a whole you know Iris was constantly in the news for things that you know could have sullied His Image and they did but I don’t remember

Being suspended for 25 games dur no he wasn’t but I I I’m sure I don’t I don’t think it’ll I I think he can I think it’ll take a while but I think him being so young I do think he can come back from this and um you know if he does the

Right things I mean he can’t just go back to being silly he um and silly is not even the word um but just you know I think he has to be good with the media I think he has to do some PR hopefully he’s got a smart team around him um and

It has to be sincere as far as we can tell it has to be sincere Rob that’s the thing CU he he where I do agree with you is he apologized before he said the right things before and then he didn’t change his actions he’s going to have to be

Sincere and I hopefully he will be because he’s a fantastic player Rob G where are you at on this uh you know I kind of agree with Rob and this was something that he and I were talking about before the show uh separately I I’m just this is similar again Rob you know

You brought up the Ray Lewis which is a really right cuz what somebody was kill opposite of the spectrum type thing and even the one I’m going to bring up is obviously another terrible example but it’s the best I can think of right now is when Kobe demanded a trade um from

The Lakers said trade me to Pluto he did like 12 different interviews in one and you remember that he was on every show he every show he got introduced his first game with the didn’t trade him and he got booed you know mercilessly by the Staple Center and then he wins the MVP

That season gets them to the finals suddenly he’s their favorite son once again yep Kobe’s interesting though because so I think something similar have to happen with he was at another I mean I I think a more appropriate incident with Kobe would be what happened in Colorado you know now Co Kobe never

Really you know he played through that Rob and he played great and by that point he’s an absolute Superstar and obviously a lot of people were it it it you know was a very negative situation um it’s a different world we live in he would have never played today

He he would have never played played you think he would his career would have been over no no he wouldn’t have played during it oh played through it he would he wouldn’t have the the team wouldn’t have been able to give him a plane to fly him back and forth all the stuff

That was done it was just a different time in this country I don’t know I don’t think so I mean got some guys playing today that have some accusations on them football player I can think of Von Miller uh Josh giddy stuff out there but it but accusation is not in court he

Was going to a court he he was go it was a trial he was arraigned he was it was I don’t know that he wouldn’t be able to play I’m not so no I’m talking about I I doubt it I I really think that it is different but it’s a different it’s a

Different world we live but my point is he even then it being he overcame that and so I I think J Morant can overcome this I don’t think Championship level no but but J also I well I don’t know how old Kobe was at that point he’s not as

Good as Kobe obviously but I still think you know what he did wasn’t the same accusations as Kobe had either I mean J Morant was really putting himself in danger um versus harming somebody else so I I think he can um but it remain to

Be seen um we’ll have to see I think obviously got to play well and he’s got to do the right things off the court and try to come through as but I think Robert key is being remorseful you know like admitting you were on the wrong

Path people can forgive you but if you don’t start there Chris it’s hard for people to to ever feel if he holds up this facade of I people was tripping I really ain’t do that you know what I mean right they just over blew it blew it out of

Proportion then he won’t get back there’s no way but if he does the right things I think he can