What Matt McMahon − Ja Morant's college coach − said about ...

NASHVILLE — Ja Morant's college coach offered support and love Thursday as the Memphis Grizzlies star traverses the most challenging period of his NBA career.

McMahon, the former Murray State coach who just finished his first season at LSU, was asked after the Tigers' 77-68 loss in the SEC Tournament to react to Morant's recent off-court issues, which include brandishing an apparent gun in a Colorado nightclub last Saturday.

Morant, one of the premier young stars in the NBA, has missed three consecutive games since the incident, though the Memphis Grizzlies aren't calling it a suspension.

"Those conversations are private," said McMahon, who coached Morant for two seasons at Murray State. "I love Ja Morant and his family, will always be here to support him as he navigates these very challenging times."

McMahon won the Ohio Valley Conference in both of Morant's seasons, reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and 2019.

Morant was an unheralded recruit in South Carolina when McMahon offered him a scholarship. As the story goes, it happened after one of his assistant coaches reportedly stumbled upon him in auxiliary gym while recruiting another player.

McMahon coached at Murray State from 2015-22 before being hired at LSU last offseason.

Morant has been under the microscope after a series of off-court incidents, including accusations that he punched a 17-year-old during a pickup game and threatened a mall security director in a four-day span last summer. But the latest incident that surfaced Saturday has brought the most scrutiny, with Morant brandishing the gun in a video posted to his Instagram Live account.

The Grizzlies initially announced that Morant would be away from the team for at least two games, without calling it a suspension. After Morant missed the two games, Memphis said Wednesday that Morant would be away at least four more games, including Thursday night's win over the Golden State Warriors.

Morant, who has deactivated his Instagram and Twitter accounts since the incident and remained mostly quiet, called his Grizzlies teammates after the win.

"He's in good spirits, working out," the Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks said after the 131-110 win. "Even though he's not with us, he's still with us. Always. This is his team. Every single day, he sends us a group text giving us encouraging messages, just to keep being us. He's still with us every single game, every single day and we can't wait to have him back."