8. Off-court incidents involving Ja Morant, KPJ, Miles Bridges, Ime Udoka, etc
The NBA places a strong emphasis on community engagement and has a profound influence on children and families. The league greatly values its overall image and influence. Recently, a series of off-court scandals have caused considerable damage to its brand image.
Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant pulled out a gun in a Denver nightclub in March of this year, which led to the NBA authorities enforcing an 8-game suspension. In May, after the Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs, another video of him brandishing a gun was circulated on social media. This time, the Grizzlies suspended all his team activities, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement condemning Morant, imposing a 25-game suspension on him, during which he could not participate in any activities.
Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. (better known as KPJ) was arrested by the New York Police in September this year for assaulting his girlfriend. The attack caused his girlfriend multiple bruises, fractures, and a cut to her right eye. Although KPJ posted bail and insisted on pleading not guilty, he will face criminal charges. KPJ, who has had off-court issues since his time in college and with the Cavaliers, had signed a four-year contract with the Rockets. However, given the limited guaranteed amount, the Rockets ultimately chose to release him, and currently, no NBA team has taken him in.
Former Hornets forward Miles Bridges was charged in 2022 for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, causing severe concussion, a broken nose, and other injuries. Bridges later plead guilty to one of the felony charges to avoid prison, opting for three years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Unexpectedly, Bridges violated the protection order before the 2023 season and went to his girlfriend's residence, facing arrest and re-prosecution. Recently, he was denied entry into Canada due to the pending criminal case and therefore couldn't play against the Raptors. Even though Bridges is back on the court, this dark history won't vanish.
Current Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was suspended before the start of the 2022 season. Initially thought to be just an extramarital affair, it later turned out to be a case of power-sex exchange, where a superior exerts wrongful pressure on a subordinate. The Celtics organization immediately suspended him for a year, and only later did he rehabilitate his career with the Rockets.Additional instances like Joshua Primo's scandalous event, Anthony Edwards forcing a woman to have an abortion, and Josh Giddey allegedly involving with an underaged girl, are all stark reminders for these fiery players and coaches to be cautious about their actions.
