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.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant stirred up controversy again Wednesday night
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.