Memphis restaurant The Wing Guru has been ordered to pay NBA star Ja Morant more than $300,000 in damages and interest following a breach of contract lawsuit.
The Shelby County Chancery Court issued the ruling after the restaurant failed to respond to or challenge an earlier arbitration decision.
Morant had originally entered into an agreement with The Wing Guru several years ago to promote the business. According to his attorney, the restaurant stopped making payments while continuing to use Morant’s name, image, and likeness in marketing materials. The restaurant publicly acknowledged on Instagram that $75,000 was owed, but Morant maintained that he never received the funds.
The dispute was first addressed through arbitration, where the arbitrator ruled in Morant’s favor. The arbitration order required The Wing Guru to cease using Morant’s likeness and awarded $300,000 in compensation.
In addition, the arbitrator included roughly $65,000 for interest and legal costs. FOX13 Memphis reported that the restaurant had until late November 2024 to either contest the award or pay, and Morant’s legal team confirmed that no action was taken, prompting the court to enforce the payment.
The total award, including interest and fees, places the settlement in the mid-six-figure range.
A representative for the restaurant was unavailable for comment, and it remains unclear how the business plans to satisfy the judgment.
