Ja Morant's mom declines courtside invitation from Jazz to Game 5 in Utah
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has offered a premium package for friends and family of Ja Morant to attend Wednesday's Game 5 against the Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City.
Morant's father, Tee Morant, and others are taking Smith up on the offer. His mother, Jamie Morant, is not. She'll remain in Memphis to watch the game on TV.
"She said her anxiety couldn't take it," Tee Morant told ESPN on Tuesday.
Ja Morant's family was targeted with abusive language
Smith made the offer after Morant's family was the target of sexually charged and racist heckling during Game 2 at Vivint Arena last week. The Jazz barred three fans from the arena after Tee Morant said that one fan made sexually explicit comments toward Jamie and another told him "I'll put a nickel in your back and watch you dance, boy."
Smith and minority Jazz owner/former NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade both denounced the behavior and apologized to the Morants on Twitter.
If we turn our backs on this kind of behavior we’re all apart of the problem. This will not be tolerated! Apologies once again to Ja and his family 🙏🏾🖤 https://t.co/uG9QSS5ZIF
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) May 28, 2021
ESPN reports that Smith then reached out to the Morants to extend the invitation to Game 5 with an offer of lodging, a car service and courtside seats to Wednesday's game free of charge. Tee Morant and four others in the group plan to take Smith up on the offer.
"It was a nice gesture from the Jazz," Tee Morant told ESPN. "It was unfortunate. It was just a few fans — most of them were great and cheering right alongside with us."
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