Following the Memphis Grizzlies’ 117-111 overtime loss to the LA Lakers on Monday night, both Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks were unavailable to speak to the media. The Grizzlies are now down 3-1 in the series and on the verge of elimination. Former NBA champion Richard Jefferson criticized the duo on ESPN’s “NBA Today” for avoiding the media.
Jefferson emphasized the importance of facing the media, especially after a tough loss. He stated, “It’s OK to make a mistake. It’s OK to have a bad game and then go face it, ’cause when you win, everybody wants to talk when they win. They are sprinting to the podium. Everybody’s up there. When you struggle, that’s really where you show your true character.”
“That’s something, to me, I just can’t get on board with. Stand there, say we’ve got to play better, but to have both guys, especially Dillon Brooks, that’s just unacceptable.”
"You can't talk the talk and then not walk the walk. … If you're not going to talk to the media after two straight games, that to me is cowardice. And I don't believe either of them are cowards."
—@Rjeff24 on Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks declining to speak with media pic.twitter.com/vapxC1ncFy
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 25, 2023
Jefferson went on to express his disappointment with Morant and Brooks for avoiding the media, calling it “cowardice.” He added, “I don’t believe either of them are cowards. I’m not saying that. I’m saying to avoid that smoke after talking the talk, you can’t avoid the media.”
It is unclear why Morant and Brooks skipped out on postgame availability, but it is worth noting that neither played well in Game 4. Morant finished with 19 points, four rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block. However, he shot just 8-for-24 from the field, 1-for-6 from 3-point range, and 2-for-4 from the free-throw line. Brooks had 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists while shooting 4-for-11 from the field, 1-for-7 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
Facing the media after a loss is part of being a professional athlete, and it’s a responsibility that comes with the job. It’s an opportunity to address mistakes, take accountability, and show leadership. As the Grizzlies face elimination, it remains to be seen if Morant and Brooks will step up and face the media or continue to avoid it.
The Hard Lesson of Poking the Bear: Dillon Brooks Learns the Consequences of Shading LeBron James in the NBA Playoffs
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks learned a tough lesson after he made a jab at LeBron James during a post-game interview. Brooks said of the 38-year-old, “I don’t care — he’s old. You know what I mean? I was waiting for that. I was expecting him to do that Game 4, Game 5. He wanted to say something when I got my fourth foul. He should have been saying that earlier on. But I poke bears. I don’t respect no one until they come and give me 40.”
After Brooks’ comment, many speculated that it would come back to haunt him and it did. In the latest game, the Lakers went up 3-1 against Memphis with an elite play from James over Brooks. James put up 25 points in Game 3 and in Game 4, he had a historic 22 points and 20 rebounds.
Following the loss, Brooks and Ja Morant were both unavailable to the media. Former NBA champion Richard Jefferson criticized the duo for avoiding the media, saying, “You can’t talk the talk and then not walk the walk. It’s OK to make a mistake.” Despite Morant’s claim that the team is “fine in the west,” Memphis is one game away from being eliminated.
