Kirk Herbstreit Uses Ja Morant's Off-Court Issues To Express Importance Of Keeping A Quality Circle

Kirk Herbstreit's parents divorced when he was very young, so his friends quickly became a crucial part of his support system. That's why he is so confused by Ja Morant's recent string of off-court incidents.

Herbstreit, one of the most prominent voices in football, spent Wednesday afternoon speaking to many of the top recruits in the Class of 2024 at the On3 NIL Elite Series in Nashville. Although the event focused on Name, Image and Likeness, the 53-year-old spoke more holistically.

One recruit in attendance asked Herbstreit about the importance of a support system. Specifically, he asked how "tight" he should keep his "circle."

Herbstreit was quick to make it clear that there is no definitive answer. It varies from person to person.

Kirk Herbstreit can only speak from experience.

However, he was willing to offer some advice from his own life, and related it to the ongoing saga surrounding Ja Morant. Morant has run into some off-court issues of late. Herbstreit believes that he needs to reevaluate what is going on around him, and questions why the Grizzlies star's "guys" let him put himself in the situation that he is in.

For Herbstreit, it's less about how big or how small a "circle" might be, but rather the quality of those people. And he appreciates how the group of athletes in the room were already considering their future in terms of relationship.

Although Herbstreit didn't play in the NIL era, he knows a thing or two about the process. There are going to be people that come out of nowhere and ask the recruits for handouts. Handling that situation is not easy, but it's real, and if you surround yourself with the right people, they will help to deal with the outsiders.

Along those lines, Herbstreit also talked about the relationships that are to come. There are two ways to approach the future, and only one of them will help to form a network of people you can trust.

Herbstreit's football career didn't go as he had planned. It wasn't always easy.

The network, and the people around him, helped Herbstreit get to where he is today.