MEMPHIS, TN – DECEMBER 23: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles towards the basket during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum on December 23, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee. San Antonio defeats Memphis 131-119. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP
LOS ANGELES, United States – Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant is expected to miss three to five weeks with a sprained left ankle, the Memphis Grizzlies said Tuesday.
The young Grizzlies star was hurt minutes before halftime of a win over the Brooklyn Nets, when he rose to try to block a shot by Nets forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and came down on Luwawu-Cabarrot’s foot.
“Further imaging revealed a Grad 2 ankle sprain, with an expected recovery time of three to five weeks,” the Grizzlies said in a statement.
Morant was clearly in pain as he hopped off the court, falling to the floor just beyond the baseline. He was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.
He later returned to sit courtside with a protective boot on his injured ankle, enthusiastically encouraging teammates as they pulled off a 116-111 overtime win over the Nets.
“A moment like that can really test you,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said of the moment Morant went down.
The 21-year-old Morant, who had averaged 36 points in the team’s first two games of the season, sounded positive on Twitter on Tuesday, posting a picture of himself smiling during a game captioned: “i know God is working, so i smile”.