Ja Morant’s altercation with Klay Thompson after the Memphis Grizzlies’ game against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night has garnered the attention of online fans, who have criticized the Grizzlies star for his actions.
One of those who criticized Ja was former NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Eddie Johnson, who took to Twitter to tell Morant that he should emulate how Klay conducts himself rather than disrespecting him with his post-game antics.
Advertisement
“Ja should be getting advice from Klay on how to carry himself instead of ticking him off. I couldn’t imagine ever yapping at Dr. J when I entered the league. I was in awe and asked questions,” wrote Johnson.
Comparison about respect, not talent
Eddie played against Julius Erving 10 times in his NBA career, with Erving holding a 9-1 record against Johnson. “EJ” entered the NBA in 1981, and arrived when “Doc” was coming off his lone NBA MVP season. However, “X” users wondered why Johnson compared Klay to Dr. J, because although Thompson has more championships, he was never in the status that Erving was as a superstar.
Advertisement
“Go reread. It’s not that hard, or is it? Just have someone read it to u,” replied Eddie. “I said respect and not talent. Reading is fundamental.”
Another fan reminded Eddie that Erving once got into a fight with Larry Bird. Johnson countered by saying that it was a different situation when Doc and Larry put their hands on one another because one, they were both on the court, playing in the same game, and two, both were championship-winning players.
Related: Former NBA player details how his $2.2 million private island became a resort
Ja was in street clothes
In the case of Klay versus Ja, Thompson didn’t just play in the game but was the Mavs’ leading scorer in the contest with 22 points on six-12 3-point shooting, although he shot a questionable game-tying logo 3-pointer in the final seconds. But because he was having a big night, Klay was talking all game against the Grizzlies and got heated when Santi Aldana purposely tripped Cooper Flagg.
Advertisement
It’s unclear if that incident with Aldama caused Morant to snap. But after blurting out a double-meaning statement that was overheard while teammate Cam Spencer was being interviewed post-game, he went up to Thompson, started pointing at his face, and that’s when the two had to be broken up before things escalated.
In fairness to Morant, he may have actually referred to Cam’s brother Pat in Golden State when he crashed the interview. And he might have taken offense at Klay’s trash-talking throughout the game, plus there is a history between Thompson and the Grizzlies. Remember the four rings taunt to Dillon Brooks? Just because he was in street clothes didn’t mean he couldn’t let his emotions show. But sure, people love to paint Ja as the villain, so it is what it is.
Advertisement
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.