Injury analyst offers encouraging Ja Morant update
Memphis Grizzlies fans held their breath earlier this week when the team announced that superstar point guard Ja Morant had been diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his left elbow. In the lexicon of sports injuries, the ulnar collateral ligament is often associated with the dreaded "Tommy John" surgery that sidelines baseball pitchers for over a year. However, recent analysis from a prominent injury expert suggests that the panic surrounding Morant’s diagnosis may be overstated, offering a much-needed silver lining for the franchise.
Jeff Stotts, a certified athletic trainer and the injury analyst behind the authoritative database *In Street Clothes*, provided a detailed breakdown that separates the terrifying baseball connotation from the basketball reality. According to Stotts, while UCL injuries are biomechanically devastating for athletes who throw a baseball at high velocities, the implications for an NBA guard are vastly different. Stotts’ historical data indicates that the average recovery time for a mild-to-moderate UCL sprain in the NBA is approximately 22 days, or roughly 12 games.
This statistical context aligns perfectly with the Grizzlies' official timeline, which slated Morant for re-evaluation in three weeks. The injury, sustained during a game against the Atlanta Hawks—just Morant’s second contest back from a previous absence—initially looked like a potential season-ender. However, Stotts’ "encouraging" update reinforces the likelihood that Morant can avoid surgery entirely. Furthermore, the fact that the injury occurred in Morant’s left arm—his non-shooting hand—adds another layer of optimism regarding his ability to maintain conditioning and return to form quickly once the ligament stabilizes.
The timeline places Morant’s potential return right around the NBA All-Star break. While he is guaranteed to miss the upcoming stretch, including a high-profile matchup against the Denver Nuggets on February 11, the data suggests he could be back on the floor for the season's final push. For a Memphis team navigating a turbulent 2025-26 campaign filled with roster instability and trade rumors, the revelation that Morant’s injury is likely a weeks-long issue rather than a months-long catastrophe is the best news they could have hoped for.
Jeff Stotts, a certified athletic trainer and the injury analyst behind the authoritative database *In Street Clothes*, provided a detailed breakdown that separates the terrifying baseball connotation from the basketball reality. According to Stotts, while UCL injuries are biomechanically devastating for athletes who throw a baseball at high velocities, the implications for an NBA guard are vastly different. Stotts’ historical data indicates that the average recovery time for a mild-to-moderate UCL sprain in the NBA is approximately 22 days, or roughly 12 games.
This statistical context aligns perfectly with the Grizzlies' official timeline, which slated Morant for re-evaluation in three weeks. The injury, sustained during a game against the Atlanta Hawks—just Morant’s second contest back from a previous absence—initially looked like a potential season-ender. However, Stotts’ "encouraging" update reinforces the likelihood that Morant can avoid surgery entirely. Furthermore, the fact that the injury occurred in Morant’s left arm—his non-shooting hand—adds another layer of optimism regarding his ability to maintain conditioning and return to form quickly once the ligament stabilizes.
The timeline places Morant’s potential return right around the NBA All-Star break. While he is guaranteed to miss the upcoming stretch, including a high-profile matchup against the Denver Nuggets on February 11, the data suggests he could be back on the floor for the season's final push. For a Memphis team navigating a turbulent 2025-26 campaign filled with roster instability and trade rumors, the revelation that Morant’s injury is likely a weeks-long issue rather than a months-long catastrophe is the best news they could have hoped for.
