The star guard is suspended from all team activities for an unspecified time after he waved a gun on Instagram Live, two months after the NBA suspended him over a similar incident.
- May 15, 2023
AceShowbiz - Ja Morant apparently hasn't learned a lesson from his past mistake. The NBA star has been suspended by his team, the Memphis Grizzlies, after he flashed a gun on Instagram Live. It's his second suspension in two months over a similar incident.
The Grizzlies announced the suspension on Sunday, May 14. "We are aware of the social media video involving Ja Morant," the team said in a statement. "He is suspended from all team activities pending League review. We have no further comment at this time."
Echoing the statement, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass also said, "We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information."
The decision was made after video surfaced on social media on Saturday night showing Morant brandishing a handgun while in a car with his friend Davonte Pack. In the clip, which has since been deleted, the athlete briefly showed his gun while he and his friend were jamming to a rap song.
Seemingly reacting to Morant's second gun incident, D'Angelo Russell posted a tweet that sounds like advice for the younger NBA star. The Los Angeles Lakers point guard said, "If you can't change the people around you, change the people around you."
Former NBA guard Chandler Parsons also weighed in on the matter. "[S]uspend him all of next season," he wrote on a Bleacher Report Instagram post.
Morant was previously suspended in March after he livestreamed himself on Instagram holding a gun at a nightclub in Glendale, Colorado. While he was not charged with a crime following police's investigation, he agreed to enter a counseling program in Florida.
The 23-year-old insisted that the gun wasn't his and declared, "It's not who I am. I don't condone any type of violence, but I take full responsibility for my actions." He also acknowledged, "I made a bad mistake and I can see the image I painted over myself with my recent mistakes."
After being suspended for eight games without pay, Morant returned to play with his team on March 22. He thanked fans for their support, saying after the game, "Obviously, I'm thankful and grateful for everybody who's been supporting me during this time." He added, "It definitely helped me a lot, definitely made me feel a little better. Eased everything that was going on. Felt good to be back. Super excited. Glad we was able to get the win."
