After racist and vulgar comments at Ja Morant’s family by three Jazz fans made national headlines, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith wanted to make amends.
So Smith is providing courtside seats, lodging, and car service for five of Morant’s family and friends for Wednesday’s Game 5 in Salt Lake City, a group which will include his father, Tee. He was the target of the most troubling of the heckles after Game 2 in Utah’s Vivint Arena last week. ESPN was first to report the story.
“It was a nice gesture from the Jazz,” Tee Morant told ESPN. “It was unfortunate. It was just a few fans — most of them were great and cheering right alongside with us.”
Smith also apologized for the incident, saying the organization was embarrassed by the behavior of the fans, who have been banned indefinitely from the arena. Morant’s mother, Jamie, was the target of some of the comments; she will not be among the group of five traveling to Game 5.
“She said her anxiety couldn’t take it,” Tee Morant said. He “[cited] the stress created by the harassment during Game 2,” ESPN reported.
