“He thinks he’s a thug” – ‘Stupid’ Ja Morant wants to be like rapper NBA YoungBoy, alleges DJ Akademiks

DJ Akademiks blame Morant and rap culture for his recent 25-game suspension.

“He thinks he’s a thug” – ‘Stupid’ Ja Morant wants to be like rapper NBA YoungBoy, alleges DJ Akademiks

DJ Akademics and Ja Morant Credits: Earl Gibson III / Getty Images; THEARON W. HENDERSON/GETTY)

According to DJ Akademiks, Ja Morant’s recent gun-related incident is because of the rap culture influence. The podcaster has called out the Memphis Grizzlies star, suggesting that he may have been influenced by certain elements in rap culture, which in turn led to his NBA suspension.

In the lead-up to the 2023-24 NBA season, Ja Morant finds himself facing a significant 25-game suspension without pay. In an Instagram live video, Morant was seen brandishing a gun, leading to the league’s decision to impose the suspension. Additionally, the point guard will need to fulfill certain conditions set by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before he can make a return to the lineup.

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DJ Akademiks made an appearance on VladTV recently, where he called out Morant for imitating YoungBoy Never Broke Again. The podcaster said, “NBA YoungBoy’s new contract is like $40 million to record like five albums. You lost $40 million trying to be like NBA YoungBoy. He’d need to record like five albums just to get the money you just lost.” He added, “You love NBA YoungBoy so much, bro, just book him to do a concert at your crib, or you go to his crib.” 

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The podcaster also blamed Morant as the sole reason for the incident, contrary to public opinion. According to Akademiks, Morant was the one who pulled out the gun whilst knowing a camera was on.

“That’s my thing, like, they always say that basketball players want to be rappers, and rappers want to be basketball players. But he’s the living example of, I think in his head, he’s a thug, like he’s a gangster,” Akademiks said. As a result of his suspension, Ja Morant will be restricted from participating in any public league or team activities, including preseason games and training camp, until the completion of his 25-game suspension.

Related: Troubled Ja Morant LOSES $50 million alongside controversial suspension

Ja Morant expected to lose over $50 million from suspension

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Ja Morant for the Memphis Grizzlies (Image via David Berding/Getty Images)

Ja Morant’s suspension is projected to cost him way more than just 25 games. Morant’s missed games will cost him around $7 million at the ballpark, a detrimental increase from the $600k salary cut from his previous 8-game suspension.

Although the suspension will cause a drop in the star’s NBA earnings, the recent incident affects his non-basketball financial earnings as well. As per reports, Morant’s recent fiasco severed his relationship with his brand sponsors like Powerade and Nike. Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported,“[Ja Morant] is at least looking at $50M in losses. … It’s as bad of a penalty as we’ve seen in the history of professional sports.”

The incident involving Ja Morant and the controversial Instagram Live video prompted Powerade to take action by pulling back all their commercials featuring the NBA star. Similarly, Nike briefly removed a colorway of Morant’s signature shoes from their website in response to the situation. However, despite this temporary removal, Nike has expressed their continued support for Morant and their intention to maintain their partnership with him.

Ja Morant has already issued a public apology and is looking to return to court as soon as possible. However, the Memphis Grizzles will have to compete without their superstar until the suspension wears off in late December.

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