> **Goodwill:** With what we’ve heard about Ja, it feels like eight games – not necessarily from a punitive standpoint – but just eight games in two weeks, does it feel like that part of this is being a bit rushed?
> **Bomani:** Look man, that dude said he went and learned some breathing exercises and he got this all under control. What? That was my thing as I was sitting there listening. I was like ‘You got this all figured out in a week? Teach me your ways.’ Like, whenever people talk about their problems in the terms that they were using to talk about his problems… so basically, all you needed was a week off of work? That was it? And you got to the bottom of everything. But did you really get to the bottom of it though? I ask that because the Grizzlies have now decided they’re not going to stay in any city after any road games, and I’m like, ‘what are we doing here?’ None of this appears to make sense to me. If he’s good, I hope that he’s good. It just doesn’t seem like this is something that you can fix in the way that they described fixing it for him.
Yahoo Sports is back with Ball Don’t Lie, but now it’s a podcast feed instead of a blog. There will be two podcasts premiering on it this week. [Good Word with Goodwill](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bomani-jones-on-ja-morant-lakers-the-mvp-race-good/id1446252794?i=1000604924983) is hosted by, well, Vince Goodwill every Monday. Jake Fischer and Dan Devine will host a podcast called No Cap Room every Friday. Allegedly, more podcasts will debut later this year.
by iksnet
46 Comments
I feel like for every time increased sensitivity to mental illness provides somebody real protection, acceptance and understanding there’s a guy who fakes it to get out of trouble.
I don’t know that Ja is on the wrong side of this but i’m with Jones, doesn’t really seem like he’s taken the journey.
I don’t have a lot of faith in him acting right for an extended period of time
Did they claim he had it all figured out? I’m sure he would admit it will be an ongoing process
The “therapy” stuff with Ja is clearly PR bullshit. That being said hopefully all of this public embarrassment has been a real wakeup call for him.
PR 101. Change the narrative so you don’t lose the bag. Nothing more.
He did it solely for PR. That much is obvious. Let’s just hope he stop trying to be a wanna be gangsta and actually is available for his team
You can learn how to deal with things without having it all figured out. Also people can deal with personal issues because that what this is, while still going to work. Jesus the man took a picture with a gun and everyone is acting like he has some huge irreparable condition that needs months of work. I can’t recall any other player being treated like this for simply having a gun.
Breathing exercises?
FUCKING BREATHING EXERCISES???
>I was like ‘You got this all figured out in a week?
Well, assuming this was just a pose and never part of his core personality, it shouldn’t be that hard to ditch
I didn’t know they made the decision to not stay in any city overnight. That does not strike me as everything being normal if you have to make that drastic a change.
Also a week is not a long time if he has serious issues. It’s actually laughably short. But if his only issue (and it’s the only one I know about) is he is always posing with guns, making shooting gestures, threatening people with guns, aiming people up with laser pointers, etc. Then he just needs to….stop. Stop that. Don’t do that anymore. He ain’t addicted to doing the shoot sign after a three. He ain’t addicted to posing on Instagram with a gun. He ain’t addicted to flashing a gun at a minor. This is shit he could just wake up and decide he doesn’t have to do anymore.
> Breathing exercises
goooosfraba
Fans are going to be ruthless at away games, see how well those breathing exercises hold up.
You know what I’m just gonna say it cus nobody else is and someone needs to say it: this is all a PR stunt. Furthermore, Ja is a fake thug wannabe tough guy.
Have y’all never taken a couple weeks off of work? It’s refreshing as hell
Ja has been doing sudoku puzzles for the last 11 days and no longer feels the need to be seen as a real muthaphuckin G
Another old guy with a Ja opinion like we haven’t heard this all 100 times already
I wish I understood why people are still talking about this. He’s being treated like every other worker in this county. You show remorse, you offer the empty platitudes to your employer, and then you either fix it or you don’t: the only difference is the platform he has. He’s offered more job security given his status as a public figure, sure, but this is far and away the most expected outcome. What did people really think was going to happen? Every joke just feels so cheap.
Aren’t y’all tired of making the same 12 step joke yet? How many variations on the same thing do you need to hear before the horse is dead?
You can’t breathe your way out of being a fuckwit.
Has there ever been a book of all the strippers in all the cities that NBA players visited the most? could be an awesome coffee table book.
3,2,1. 1,2,3. What the heck is bothering me?
My belief is that Ja went to an A&D (alcohol and drugs) rehab facility in Florida. One week inpatient is very standard with that. He’s probably doing outpatient therapy via telehealth, or a therapist who may travel with the team and sort of stay hidden, or some combination thereof. It’s consistent with the anonymity aspects of recovery for him to say vague statements, e.g., “I learned breathing exercises.” The truth is that we may never know.
Maybe a crazy idea, but perhaps treatment can be outpatient and ongoing.
You gotta stay calm when that ass is up in your face
Why he gotta have it all figured out? Y’all acting like he needs to be in jail or he can’t play baskebtall
All he really needs to do is clean up his inner circle and get mentors that really care about him. That would solve most of this. If you’re worried about your safety then hire private security to roll with you at all times.
I love Bomani Jones
Curious if this will improve his game? We had a situation with Julius Randle last year and his mental not being 100% there. He was doing crazy things, and he took a good look in the mirror during the off-season and made things right in his head.
His meditation and now much cooler persona vastly improved his play and he got back to all-star and hopefully all-nba caliber.
I know Ja is already a superstar, but maybe figuring this stuff out getting his head straight will help him play at another level. You do not want to see anybody go through this, so at the very least if he can change his ways he has a bright future in the NBA
Let the man take a step in the right direction Bomani. A week off helps. Techniques help. He might not be completely “fixed” but he’s gotta live his life and move forward and try again. Think about it this way: he played all season in worse mental shape than he is probably in right now. A net gain isn’t a bad starting point.
Every ja post in here is just another bat signal for Dillon Brooks to villain more.
Bomani is probably the best, and it’s not even close, at breaking down these subjects and getting a good take in.
Ja a demon slayer now ?
I disagree with everyone saying he should’ve taken more time, no one knows what was actually wrong (probably nothing) so until then you can’t say how long he should’ve been away , he can fix his behavior while playing not sure why everyone thinks he needed a 30 day retreat to stop acting reckless
How about hop off the dude’s dick for a week. If what you really want is to see him change how about give him the space to do what he needs to do and not comment on every single thing he is doing or not doing right now.
Such a shame that the umbrella of “mental health” is co-opted by people doing shitty things and saying “oopsie, it’s my mental health” like it’s a get out of jail free card. Ja should be clowned for the rest of his career for this, it’s an insult to the people that have tried to help him.
Hopefully the slap on the wrist is enough to refocus Ja and make it clear to his extended circle that they’ve gotta start being a better influence to ensure he doesn’t get in any real trouble with the league. Would be great to see him put this behind him and continue to play great basketball while having more self awareness moving forward.
As someone who actually struggles with social anxiety and depression, this whole Ja thing really pisses me off. The whole thing was a pure PR stunt, he probably had a few hours of counselling, just so the team can say he did it. He had no intention of actually fixing his issues, because Playoffs are around the corner and he is using the mental struggles card so he doesn’t get shit on by everyone and still gets his money. The shitting part didn’t work, since everyone can see through the fake shit, but he is SADLY still gonna get that bonus because he is popular enough to get at least 3rd team All-NBA.
Please where did he say he figured all this out in a week? Nowhere lol. Dude’s working on it. These fools just need shit to sell you on a Monday afternoon and will keep going to the Ja bag as long as you fools keep listening.
All these mental health experts in here. Even if you are one Ja’s not your client and it’s doubtful you can diagnose from a distance.
All this seems to be are character assignations and hopeful wishes of failure and/or well insert “lame reasoning”
But in the end all we don’t know.
its time to get off his dick atp
This thread every day
Y’all just don’t get that bomani is a cynic.
Worst damage control campaign ever for something that is easily avoidable
The big thing for me is that half of this stuff had nothing to do with having a temper. The beating up the 17 year old kid was the only one some breathing exercises might’ve helped with. Bringing a gun to a club and posting it, the laser at the Pacer’s staff (if that was him and not a friend), and the tweeting stupidity / general “hard” attitude are all only going to be fixed by surrounding himself with new people or getting an agent who understands PR to filter everything he says before he says it.
Bomani Jones is still around?
Wow, didn’t think breathing exercises could cure alcoholism in a week! My man is a Guru!