Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant suffered a sprained ankle in practice on Sunday, Oct. 5.
The team has listed Morant as ‘week-to-week’ with the injury.
Morant has a history of injuries, playing in only 59 games over the past two seasons.
His status for the regular season opener on Oct. 22 against the New Orleans Pelicans is uncertain.
The Memphis Grizzlies told reporters that Morant suffered a sprained ankle in practice on Sunday, Oct. 5, ahead of the team’s preseason opener against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. It’s another setback for the highlight-producing point guard, who has had trouble staying on the court since emerging as one of the league’s young stars three years ago. He was No. 25 in USA TODAY’s NBA player rankings for the 2025-26 season.
Morant, 26, played in just 59 games combined the past two seasons, missing all but nine games during the 2023-24 campaign because of a 25-game suspension handed out by the NBA and a season-ending shoulder injury. He missed 32 games last season due to a variety of ailments. Morant told reporters at the Grizzlies media day last week that one of his individual goals for the 2025-26 season was ‘to play 82’ games.
Morant’s status for the start of the regular season remains unclear, with the Grizzlies set to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 22. He is out for the team’s preseason game Monday vs. the Pistons. Here’s what we know about Morant’s latest injury, including a timeline announced by the team:
Ja Morant injury update
A Memphis Grizzlies spokesperson told reporters on Monday, before Memphis played the Detroit Pistons in its 2025 NBA preseason opener, that Morant suffered a sprained left ankle in practice on Sunday. He is considered ‘week-to-week,’ the team said, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Ja Morant injury history
Injuries and durability concerns are nothing new for Morant. He missed at least two games in a row five different times during the 2024-25 season and did not finish the team’s first-round playoff series loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The list of injuries Morant dealt with last season, according to the Grizzlies injury report, included issues with his back, shoulder, knee, ankle, foot, hamstring and hip. He only played nine games after his suspension to start the 2023-24 season due to shoulder surgery after suffering a labral tear in a training session. That’s the only major injury of Morant’s NBA career.
Morant has, however, suffered several ankle sprains over his six seasons, including one in December 2020 in which he missed eight games. A knee injury against the Golden State Warriors kept Morant from completing the Grizzlies’ playoff run in 2022.
Ja Morant stats
7th season, 307 career games
Career: 22.6 points, 7.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals
2024-25: 50 games, 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals
2020 NBA Rookie of the Year
2022 NBA Most Improved Player
2022 second team all-NBA
2-time All-Star
