Ja Morant will be paid six figures by a restaurant in Memphis after the establishment used his likeness without authorization.
The Wing Guru owes Morant more than $365,000 to the Memphis Grizzlies star following a ruling by the arbitrator that prohibited the restaurant from using his name, image, or likeness in advertisements.
Action News 5 reports that The Wing Guru agreed to pay Morant $75,000 a year in monthly installments of $6,250 to use his name and likeness to promote its chicken wings. Morant was the brand ambassador for the restaurant which used his image in “print, audio-visual, and social media campaigns.”
Eventually, the establishment stopped paying Morant for four months after they came to terms with their January 2022 contract. While the restaurant did not compensate Mortant, it continued to use his likeness in several promotions.
According to the arbitration petition, Morant’s legal team issued a letter in November 2022 “requesting over $43,000 in unpaid dues.” The restaurant agreed to pay the full $75,000 by January 1st, 2023, but no payments were ever received by Morant.
Court records state that the Wing Guru used Morant’s likeness to promote its products outside the Memphis metro area.
Morant’s camp contends that it sent letters and emails asking Wing Guru to pay the overdue balance but the company never responded.
In May 2023, Morant filed a demand for arbitration” alleging a breach of contract and commercial appropriation.”
An arbitrator ruled that Morant was owed $365,525.30 in damages from the “unjust profits” that were earned, totaling about $225,000 in August 2024.
Wing Guru was given 90 days to object but never did.
Back on December 18, 2024, Morant filed a petition requesting the court to affirm the arbitrator’s original ruling.
On the court, Morant has led the Grizzlies to a 25-14 record. 21.0, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.5 assists.
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