You know that sinking feeling when you’ve waited for hours just to catch a glimpse of your favorite actor, singer, or athlete—and then boom, news drops that they’ve already left or aren’t even showing up? Yeah, it stings. All that hope, all that hype… gone. Well, that’s exactly what happened to one YouTube streamer who came fully geared up to hoop with Ja Morant—only to get a message instead of Memphis’ 2x All-Star himself.

So here’s what went down—YouTube streamer Tylil showed up expecting a full-on workout session with Ja Morant. He had the cameras, the energy, the excitement—everything lined up for what was supposed to be a big moment. But when he arrived, Ja was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he was met by Nike trainers, Ja’s longtime trainer Mo, Jonathan, and even Ja’s dad, Tee Morant. That didn’t stop the internet from jumping to conclusions, though. The second the clip hit social media, the narrative started spinning: Ja bailed last minute.

Well, if there’s one thing we know about Ja Morant—it’s that he’s not letting fake news slide. He saw the video, and he responded fast. Ja jumped on X and fired back, writing: “it be mfs like you dat run wit fake news . if i was supposed to be there , i would’ve!!” Clear, loud, and all caps energy—even without the caps.

The video that kicked off all the drama? Yeah, it captured Tylil’s raw reaction in real time—and you could feel the disbelief. Standing there, clearly let down, he said: “Like you know what’s it like working out with Ja Morant, one of the best players in NBA. So why would they tell me, that they sold me a dream? But why did you tell me? I’m gonna work out with Ja Morant? So the communication was just messed up? Oh man bruh okay, let’s go, I’m still gonna work out. What the—on my mother’s life, chat, on my mother’s life.” That mix of hype, confusion, and disappointment? You could see it all on his face.

Ja Morant and Yuki Kawamura keeping the brotherhood alive

While Ja Morant was busy clapping back at rumors on one side of the internet, he was all love on the other. The Grizzlies star dropped a blue heart emoji under a heartfelt post from his former teammate Yuki Kawamura. The Japanese guard had just wrapped up Summer League with the Chicago Bulls and posted a thank-you message, writing, “Summer league 🟥 Thank you Chicago Bulls for giving me a wonderful opportunity🙏 I truly appreciate your support!” Ja’s quiet show of support didn’t go unnoticed—especially coming just moments after his louder reaction elsewhere.

And if you’ve followed these two, you know that bond’s been real from the jump. The 5-foot-8 Kawamura became a fan favorite with the Grizzlies last season despite being on a two-way deal — but more than the fans, it was Ja Morant who really made him feel at home. Whether it was during open practices or Kawamura’s stints with the G League, Morant stayed close.

Kawamura even said a few months back, “The Grizzlies organization, my teammates, especially Ja Morant, he has been helping me a lot. He’s my big brother, he teaches basketball skills, English… Sometimes bad English, like slang, you know what I’m saying? [laughs] But that’s cool, that’s cool, I love it!” That pretty much sums it up — a bond built on hoops, brotherhood, and a little bit of slang.

Even now, with Kawamura hustling on a two-way with the Chicago Bulls in the Summer League, the respect hasn’t changed. Morant still shows up in his corner, whether online or in real life. And Kawamura? He’s out there making highlight passes, splashing threes, and showing everyone exactly why Memphis fell in love with him. As he once put it when talking about the Grizzlies, “I miss Memphis… I already miss Ja. He’s such a great guy, that’s my big brother.” Some bonds, it seems, go way beyond just sharing a locker room.