Why is Ja Morant wearing a face mask and why do NBA players in general wear faceguards? We explain the Grizzlies star’s new look.
Ja Morant recently made his eagerly-awaited return to action. The mercurial point guard was handed an eight-game ban earlier this month by the NBA for brandishing a gun in a social media post.
Morant served his ban and made his return for Memphis on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets. Ja finished with 17 points and five assists on his return as the Grizzlies came out 130-125 winners.
That was the first of back-to-back home games against the Houston Rockets, who the Grizzlies take on again tonight (Friday 24 March).
Why is Ja Morant wearing a face mask?
During the games fans noticed something different about the point guard and wanted to know why Ja Morant is wearing a face mask.
The face guard has nothing to do with Ja’s recent suspension, rather, it is because of an injury he suffered earlier on in the season.
The former Rookie of the Year suffered a nasal fracture during the matchup against the Rockets before his ban. Ja Morant also wore the faceguard on March 3 against the Denver Nuggets, which was the last game he played before the suspension.
Why do NBA players wear face masks?
Some fans questioned why NBA players wear face masks. Over the years we’ve seen a number of high-profile players wear masks including Richard Hamilton, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.
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They are worn as a precautionary measure in order to protect against existing injuries. If a player has a cheek fracture or broken nose they will often wear face masks during games in order to prevent further damage.
They’re not ideal, and some can look better than others, but ultimately they enable to the individual to still play rather than sit on the side-lines.
Ja on his return to the fold
The Grizzlies recently clinched the first place in the Southwest Division and are gearing up towards the playoffs. They are currently second in the Western Conference with a 45-27 record, putting them 3.5 games behind the Nuggets in first place.
Ja’s return has come at a good time, and he’s looking to put what’s transpired behind him and concentrate on basketball.
“I’m completely sorry for that [his ban],” Morant said this week. “So, you know, my job now is, like I said, to be more responsible, more smarter, and don’t cause any of that no more.
“I went there to counselling to learn how to manage stress. Cope with stress in a positive way, instead of ways I’ve tried to deal with it before that caused me to make mistakes.”
“That’s [basketball] my main focus now,” Morant added. “Obviously, super excited to be back with my teammates. That’s the main thing right now.
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