Unwavering Support
When I found out I was having a son, I was ecstatic. Would I have been just as happy with a daughter? Of course. For a new parent, a healthy baby, no matter the gender, is a blessing. But there’s something about having a son that hits different for dads. Before they’re even born, we already have a million scenarios in our heads of things we want to experience with our mini mes. Whether it’s sports, music, cars, or girls, we dream of developing a lifelong bond with our sons through many of the activities that have brought us joy over the years.
For me, even before Emory came along, I knew that if I were to have a son, I’d want him to play sports. Sports were an integral part of my life growing up. I played everything – youth baseball, basketball, and football. From the time I was about 7-8 years old, all the way until I graduated from high school, I played something. Being involved with sports provides valuable lessons about teamwork, winning and losing, and strategy that are applicable throughout life.
Baseball was the sport in which I excelled. Basketball was, and still is, my favorite sport, but I was just naturally gifted at baseball. On my high school team, there were only 4-5 blacks on the roster. Each game, however, our dads would be there standing along the fence supporting us – no matter whether it was a home or away game. It was something that I was aware of as a teenager, but didn’t really appreciate until I got older. In a world in which the black father is often portrayed as being absent, it was a loud statement to look over and have that support from our dads at nearly every game. I will be forever grateful. In seeing that example of support growing up, I knew that I, too, would be my son’s biggest fan in whatever activity he participated in.
Sort of like Tee Morant.
As we’re midway through the 2022 NBA Playoffs, one of the feel-good stories so far has been the emergence of Ja Morant into a legitimate superstar right before our eyes. As LeBron and Steph get older, it’s clear that the future of the league is in good hands with exciting young players like Morant. Prior to his injury, with every spectacular play the Grizzlies star made, right there courtside cheering him on has been his dad, Tee. He’s become a star in his own right, from conducting sideline interviews to chopping it up with other black dads like Karl Towns, Sr. and Dell Curry, to hanging out with his doppelganger, Usher.
But it hasn’t been all love. The elder Morant has been called annoying and been accused of taking away the shine from his son. He’s been compared to LaVar Ball, who faced even more criticism when he first came on the scene. And for what? Being a supportive dad? A debate can be had on whether some of his antics are a bit much. But what can’t be questioned is a father’s love and admiration for his son, all of which Morant has showcased in his own way. It’s an exciting time for him, and like Dell Curry said, for his son’s first playoff run, he has every right to experience the joy of this moment.
There’s always been a perception around young black men, particularly young black athletes, that they grew up without positive male role models in their lives. While it’s important to highlight some of the struggles our people have to overcome, it’s equally important to be just as loud in our celebration of dads who pour into their kids' lives.
I applaud Tee Morant, Karl Towns, Sr., and all the dads who show up for practices and games to provide that comfort to their sons when they’re in the heat of battle. When Emory is in Game 7 of the NBA Finals up by two with three minutes left, I’ll be courtside on my feet cheering him on too.