Follow Xiaoka? Uncle Morant set up a consulting company to manage his affairs

It is not uncommon for NBA players to find relatives to take care of daily affairs, but with Leonard and his uncle Dennis Robertson in this summer's series, people are somewhat sensitive to this combination. Now, another NBA star has embarked on the same path, and he is Ja Morant.

Phil Morant is the chief management director of the newly established Memphis consulting firm ILOC. His nephew Ja Morant was the company's first client. Uncle Phil and Jamie Morant, both the company's mother, are involved in the company's work, while the company's daily affairs are handled by Kevin Helms, the former Grizzlies security director. Neither Helms nor Jae’s family are NBA certified player agents, and as the first employees of the consulting firm, they claim to help athletes manage off-field business opportunities and social schedules, but will not intervene in player contract negotiations.

This arrangement has some similarities with the relationship between Leonard and his uncle Dennis. Dennis is in charge of Leonard's off-field affairs, and like Phil, he is not a certified agent. But the difference is that according to Helms, Dennis once negotiated Leonard's contract directly with the NBA team, and the Morant family would not go this way.

Ja Morant parted ways with his former agency LIFT last season and said he will personally negotiate the next player contract. But that's the fastest thing to do in 2026. He is currently in a five-year contract of $197 million.

"Phil Morant's role is more in-depth." Helms responded to the comparison between Morant and Leonard's situation, saying, "I don't know what Ka's situation is, and I can't comment. But I can tell you that if someone wants to compare Phil, it's completely wrong. Because this person (Phil Morant) quit his decent job on the day Jae participated in the draft and came to help him with affairs, and that's what it has been since day one."

Helms said that Phil Morant was previously an executive of a telecommunications company in the Carolina area. After the Grizzlies selected Morant with the second pick in 2019, he turned to support his nephew full-time.

Morant himself said of his choice: "Working with ILOC is the one who controls my future and gives myself to people who truly understand me, believe in me, and are willing to help me improve continuously. I am not just thinking about next season or the next contract, but thinking about my achievements, family, community, and how to do the right thing."

Helms believes that signing with ILOC is not a "turning point" for Morant to get out of the predicament. The real turning point began as early as May 2023 when Morant was broadcasting a live broadcast of guns in his car.

is Uncle Morant Phil, and the Right is Morant's father Ti

Helms was a law enforcement officer and later served as the Grizzlies security supervisor. He later resigned and served Morant full-time. He revealed that he, Jia’s uncle Phil and Jia’s mother have been building a structured system for the star over the past two years.

"What we do is constantly providing tools and resources to make sure he gets the necessary support." Helms said. "Phil and I first set up the framework, and then brainstorm with Jamie. We will find out the problems and risks together to avoid happening again in the future. Taking Jay as an example, we tried many methods and the results were good, so we felt that it might be able to promote them."

Helms said that ILOC will also accept more NBA player customers in the future. Facing every player, the company will establish a "board of directors". Morant's board includes uncle, mother, Helms and father, Ti Morant (not served at ILOC). At the same time, he emphasized that ILOC will not negotiate contracts on behalf of the agent, but will ask the agent certified by the Player Union to provide consultation when needed.

(text/Thai Fu)