Skip Bayless discusses Ja Morant on Undisputed

When Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless says, “I’m just throwing this out,” prepare for some potentially dangerous speculation.

Early Saturday morning, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant went on Instagram Live and flashed what appeared to be a gun at a nightclub. It was the latest incident in what has been a series of problematic occurrences with Morant in recent weeks, some of which have featured accusations of firearms being involved.

After the incident went viral on social media, Morant issued an apology and stated he’s going to take time away to receive help, which led to speculation over what kind of help he needs. Monday morning on FS1’s Undisputed, Skip Bayless speculated on whether Morant is a gang member.


“I’ve called around the league to people I’ve known forever, talking about Ja,” Bayless said. “Because I was so shocked by the IG Live, how brazen it was. And I had several people say to me, ‘Well, timeout, are you sure you guys on TV aren’t giving him a pass here, like you’re not that?’ They’re asking me, ‘Are you sure he’s not that?’ Like, that’s just who he is, that he is about that life.

“And remember, he’s thrown up the Crips sign, I’ve seen him throw it up two or three times, I’ve probably missed some other times,” Bayless continued. “What does that mean? Does that mean he wants to associate with the Crips? Or he got initiated by the Crips? Or he has a dream of being a Crip? I don’t know. I’m just throwing this out – that, are we missing the boat here that that’s just who he’s been from the start and we keep saying, ‘No, you’re just associated with the wrong people,’ when he’s actually part of the wrong people.”

According to Bayless, he called his NBA sources and those sources asked him whether his FS1 show is giving Morant too much of a pass on TV. But even before Morant’s latest incident, Skip’s partner Shannon Sharpe has been harder than most sports hosts on the NBA star.

“Bro, you not hard,” Sharpe said of Morant one month ago on Undisputed.” “That’s not your life. People in that life would give anything to be in your life. You got a $200 million contract, and you want people in the NBA to think you hood, to think you gangster because you roll with this type of people. Bro, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way when you don’t have to.”

The Monday morning speculation on Morant being a member of the Crips was some wild discourse. And while the speculation came from Bayless on Undisputed, Sharpe didn’t appear to have an issue with the line of questioning. I don’t doubt that Bayless still has some strong NBA sources, but it’s hard to imagine those insiders would be asking for his opinion on Morant’s potential connection to a gang.

[Undisputed]

About Brandon Contes

Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com