Memphis Grizzlies star player Ja Morant has been a topic of discussion on the internet as rumors about his fitness continue to intensify. On Friday evening, reports of Morant having cancer started to swing, and a day later, the news attracted headlines.
Ja Morant suffering from cancer?
A quick search notes the scale of these viral rumors, as "Ja Morant Cancer" and "Ja Morant Lung Cancer" have topped the charts.
However, this all started from a simple doctored tweet, dated January 26.
"Just got the toughest news of my life, lung cancer. I won't be playing this season, but I am trusting God through it all," the tweet read.
On the top of it, Morant's injury woes have added to the rumor. Having missed 25 fixtures because of injuries this season, Morant has rarely been seen on the court adding to the compelling story.
Suffering from multiple injuries, Morant has missed the Grizzlies' last four fixtures with an elbow injury and sat out of their 114-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
The rumors have misled many fans online, triggering a spike in searches linking Morant to cancer. However, based on all the available information, it is evident that the claims are unfounded and amount to nothing more than baseless rumors spreading online.
Injury update on Ja Morant
Ja Morant has been considered as the next big thing in the NBA, but his stats recommend otherwise. The guard is yet to play 82 matches in a season and has missed more than half of Memphis' games this term.
Following a string display in the Grizzlies game against the Orlando Magic in London earlier this month, many thought Morant was back for good.
In the very next fixture against the Atlanta Hawks, Morant picked up an elbow injury and has stayed out of the lineup since.
Although early tests made him stay on the sidelines for three weeks, the Grizzlies' injury report notes that he will be re-evaluated during that window, leaving open the possibility of a much longer absence.