Why was Ja Morant’s dad ejected from Memphis Grizzlies home game? Reason revealed

Saturday night's Grizzlies game saw Ja Morant's father, Tee Morant, ejected from the game after comments about the officials.

Why was Ja Morant’s dad ejected from Memphis Grizzlies home game? Reason revealed

Ja Morant's father Tee Morant was ejected from the arena on Saturday night

The Memphis Grizzlies matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder had a lot riding on it as the two top teams in the West faced off against each other. However, during the fourth quarter of the game, officials proceeded to eject a fan from his courtside seat. That fan was none other than Tee Morant, Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s father. But what caused the Grizzlies’ biggest fan to get ejected?

The situation unfolded with just over two minutes left in the game when the senior Morant, seated courtside, loudly expressed his frustration with the officiating. Following the game, the game’s officials, Ray Acosta and Mousa Dagher, led by crew chief Josh Tiven, revealed why Tee Morant was ejected. The decision came after he repeatedly made comments questioning the integrity of the officiating crew.

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The fan continued to repeat overtly disrespectful statements about the integrity of the officiating crew, so as the crew chief, I approached security and asked that he be removed.

Josh Tiven said postgame

According to referee Josh Tiven’s postgame pool report, Tee Morant’s remarks were deemed ‘overtly disrespectful.’ Tee Morant is a regular at his son Ja Morant’s games when they play at their home stadium in the FedEx Forum in Memphis. This is why it was a jarring sight for many to see security escort him out of the Arena.

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Tiven, who was aware that the fan in question was Ja Morant’s father, stated that his continued remarks left the officials with no choice but to intervene. Ultimately, the ejection definitely didn’t affect the outcome of the game, where the top seed in the Western Conference handily proved why they stand atop the league. The Thunder handed the Grizzlies a resounding 125-112 defeat.

Ja Morant calls out officiating after father’s ejection in a frustrating loss

Tee Morant’s ejection became a major talking point after the game, particularly given Ja Morant’s own frustrations with the officiating. The Grizzlies’ star guard suggested that his father’s removal was probably for the better, or else he may have been the one to see his way off the court, given his issues with how he felt the game was officiated.

He probably got kicked out, so I didn’t [get ejected]. Probably complaining about something to the ref.

Ja Morant told reporters postgame

Despite Ja Morant’s frustrations, the free-throw discrepancy didn’t favor the Thunder. Memphis attempted 39 free throws compared to Oklahoma City’s 21, although Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led both teams in free throw attempts with 16 total on the night. The younger Morant, on the other hand, recorded just four free throw attempts despite the constant rim pressure he applies.

The loss to Oklahoma City ended the Grizzlies’ four-game winning streak and came in a game that featured the top two teams in the Western Conference. The Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32-point performance, proved too much for Memphis, whose offense struggled to keep up, especially in the second half. Even so, the Grizzlies stand firm as the second seed in the West with a 35-17 record, having won 10 of their last 12 games.