Ja Morant apologized on Twitter for posting an image on social media with a blasphemy directed at police officers on the back of his shirt, and wrote that “he was not clearly and exactly conveying what he wanted to share.”
On Sunday, the Memphis Grizzlies’ rookie point guard reissued an image that had the word “F —” and the number 12 on the back of his shirt. The number on Morant’s shirt is 12, but “F — 12” is a term in anti-police jargon.
Morant wrote “want dat on my jersey fr” in his tweet and also shared the image in his Instagram story with a similar message. She later deleted the posts and apologized through a statement on her Twitter account.
“First I want to apologize for republishing something that was not clearly and exactly conveying what I wanted to share,” he wrote. “My post was intended to focus on the bad cops who got away with murdering unarmed black men and women, and those who continue to harass peaceful protesters from NEGRO VIDAS MATERIA.”
“I know there are good ’12’ cops out there. I know some and some are family members. I am grateful to the Murray State cops who took care of me and to the cops who continue to monitor me with the Grizzlies. WE NEED the good cops to give a step forward and make sure other cops don’t abuse their power The police have taken too many black lives that could have been avoided.
“You can see me only as a basketball player and I may lose fans for taking a stand, but I will not be silent. LIFE OF BLACKS MATTERS! Where is the justice for Breonna Taylor? And the countless other innocent lives they have taken at the hands of dirty cops without convictions?
‼ ️✊🏽 pic.twitter.com/WU6AEKuDa0
– Ja Morant (@JaMorant) June 29, 2020
Chris Paul, president of the National Basketball Players Association, told ESPN’s The Undefeated that the players union and the league are collaborating to allow players to wear shirts with personalized messages of social justice, social cause or charity on their back instead of his last names during the upcoming restart of the NBA season.
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