Ja Morant courts controversy with yet another gun gesture – after twice being suspended by the NBA

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has once again sparked controversy following the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The point guard was sidelined Wednesday night after the Grizzlies’ 128-123 loss to LeBron James and the Lakers with a hip injury.

However, he still managed to cause an upset from the bench, with the 25-year-old’s actions drawing attention.

Morant was seen performing a gun action with his hand on Anthony Davis as he sat on the Memphis bench.

The gesture immediately raised eyebrows among NBA fans following Morant’s previous suspensions for gun-related incidents.

The point guard was spotted taking a gun action on Lakers’ Anthony Davis

On March 3, 2023, Morant flashed a gun on an Instagram Live video at Shotgun Willie’s, a strip club in Glendale, Colorado, after a loss to the Denver Nuggets.

The move sparked severe backlash when the NBA imposed an eight-game suspension on Morant, who checked himself into a private counseling center in Colorado.

But eight games were apparently not enough to get the message across. Just ten weeks later, Morant was caught again in a firearms incident.

This time, having not learned his lesson, Morant was caught brandishing the gun in a car on friend Davonte Pack’s Instagram Live.

Once again Morant faced a setback, this time bigger than ever. It was the second such incident in three months and the league took time to consider the punishment before handing Adam Silver a 25-match ban.

The NBA commissioner called Morant’s behavior “alarming and disturbing” and “reckless and irresponsible,” noting that the star is a role model for many children.

The ban forced Morant to miss much of the 2023–24 season, with the star eventually returning on December 19, 2023.

But just a week later, he was accused of hosting a gun-related celebration after performing a dunk during an overtime win.

The 25-year-old was suspended after flashing a gun on an Instagram Live in March 2023

Morant was seen with a gun for a second time on an Instagram Live video in May 2023

Morant celebrated by extending both arms and pulling the trigger before moving his hands to his head – as if he were holding something on his shoulder – sparking outrage on social media with users claiming he was flashing a gun imitated.

He reposted a tweet claiming he was imitating LSU players who had made a similar celebration after scoring a touchdown.

However, since then, Morant has taken his second chance and stayed out of the controversy and headlines.

This season, Morant averaged 20.6 points, 5 rebounds and 9.1 assists in eight games for the Grizzlies.