Blake Griffin on Ja Morant Credit: NBA on Prime
By Brendon Kleen on

One big test that all retired athletes face as first-time sports commentators is whether they will be critical of players when it is due.

This weekend, after a strong NBA on Prime doubleheader, Blake Griffin passed it with flying colors.

After a game in which the strange saga of Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies hit another low point as Morant’s team coughed up a double-digit second-half lead to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers, Griffin took him to task for a lack of effort on both ends of the floor.

“For a guy that’s making $40 million and needs to be the leader of this team, I just don’t love it,” Griffin said over a video package of Morant’s lowlights.

“I don’t know if he was not feeling well, if he’s hurt, but that to me is a very bad sign and it’s something that needs to, it has to change. The Memphis Grizzlies will only go as far as Ja Morant takes them. When he is engaged, we’ve seen it. He is unbelievable, he’s an all-world talent. But that type of effort right there, that’s the thing that we will call out.”

As the clip made the rounds online, NBA fans and media were refreshed to see fair criticism rooted in on-court play from the former “Lob City” superstar.

The top reply to the clip on the NBA subreddit praised the “beautiful commentary” and tagged Griffin as a future media star:

“Godd*mn this is beautiful commentary from Blake Griffin. It’s legit, honest, and easy to follow and listen to. Big ol BG has a NICE future in media for the rest of his life. He’s just good at it.”

On X, longtime NBA reporter and radio host Frank Isola wrote that Griffin’s breakdown was “excellent.”

“Excellent work here from Blake Griffin. Nothing nasty, no personal shots just honest critical analysis of a star player who simply isn’t doing enough.”

Longtime NBA social media commentator and content creator Daman Rangoola called Griffin’s monologue a “breath of fresh air.”

Griffin’s observations proved to be prescient, as Morant later made headlines for a passive-aggressive postgame media session in the Memphis locker room. The eighth-year point guard, who has struggled through suspensions, injuries, and inconsistent play during his career, called out the coaching staff repeatedly when asked about his performance and the Grizzlies’ loss.

Morant, who is in the third year of a $200 million max contract for Memphis, was 3-14 from the field in the loss.

Criticism of Inside the NBA and NBA Countdown under the old NBA broadcast structure often focused on the overly negative commentary from hosts like Charles Barkley and Stephen A. Smith (including commentary about Morant himself). While Griffin’s first viral moment on NBA on Prime was also critical, he is proving that fans and fellow commentators will still respond positively to negative coverage if it is balanced and rooted in basketball analysis.

About Brendon Kleen

Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.

View all posts by Brendon Kleen