Bill Oram apologizes for using language that is ‘harmful to people of color’ in Ja Morant column

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Credit: X via Bill Oram, Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers’ acquisition of Ja Morant via trade was one of the first major dominoes to fall in the NBA offseason, following months of reports that the two sides were headed toward divorce. However, while a contingent of Blazers fans are excited about the spark that Morant can bring, one notable local commentator was immediately concerned with what Morant’s presence could mean for the franchise.

Columnist Bill Oram labeled the Morant trade as an “affront to the fanbase” and stopped just short of saying that it was a ploy to alienate the fanbase ahead of a relocation effort.

“I think it is only further driving a wedge between the franchise and the city of Portland as this new owner is deep in negotiations over an arena deal that could potentially spell the end of the Trail Blazers in Portland,” Oram said in a radio interview.

“While I don’t think they made this trade to basically poison the well and sour the fan base’s view of the organization, it certainly wasn’t a deal that was made with any sort of care for this fanbase, for this city.”

More controversially, in an Oregonian column reacting to the trade, he insinuated that Morant’s presence on the roster threatens a callback to the “Jail Blazers” era of the early 2000s, when the franchise’s players dealt with off-the-court allegations such as shootings, hard-drug addiction, and sexual assault, despite the accusations around Morant being far less serious.

Days after writing that the two-time All-Star was “the most radioactive player in the league,” Oram has issued an apology for mentioning Morant in tandem with the “Jail Blazers,” via a statement he posted on X.

“In an effort to articulate my objection to the Trail Blazers’ trade for Ja Morant in a column this week, I made the mistake of recycling a term that carries obvious and harmful racial undertones.

“The harsh label for Portland basketball in the 2000s has long been used as an unfortunate catch-all for a wide range of behaviors, little of which was even criminal, and I was wrong to invoke it in an inartful attempt to argue a point.

“I have long understood that this term is harmful to people of color and it was especially misguided to hang it on Morant. He is responsible only for his own actions, not the weight of his new employer’s entire history. My intent was never to perpetuate racist themes, and I am horrified that is exactly what I ended up doing. I maintain my central argument that trading for Morant at this moment in his career is not a worthwhile gamble, but I realize that what I saw as a nuanced point was lost as soon as I relied on a lazy and loaded trope.

“It is not lost on me that in my effort to condemn Morant for his past decisions, I was in fact the one who failed to exercise good judgment. I am sorry and I will do better.”

A note of apology: pic.twitter.com/a2vQUbGXfs

— Bill Oram (@billoram) July 2, 2026

As regretful as Oram’s language surrounding Morant was, he took full account of his wrongdoings in his apology, something that is becoming increasingly rare in professional sports.

The post Bill Oram apologizes for using language that is ‘harmful to people of color’ in Ja Morant column appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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