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Memphis Grizzlies superstar guard Ja Morant has once again been suspended from team activities after a second Instagram Live video appeared to show him holding a firearm.
Accompanied in a vehicle with a friend, Morant brandishes the gun and it quickly circulated on social media Sunday, only two months after he was suspended for holding a gun in another video.
At the time, the league said an investigation “did not conclude that the gun at issue belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub or was displayed by him beyond a brief period. The investigation also did not find that Morant possessed the gun while traveling with the team or in any NBA facility.”
Morant met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after the initial incident. The 23-year-old told ESPN they had an “open discussion.”
Morant’s conduct “was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” Silver said in a statement. “It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him.”
“He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court,” the statement said.
Later in March, Morant apologized on-camera to ESPN’s Jalen Rose, saying he received counseling to handle his stress and promised to “be more responsible.”
Morant is now suspended from all team activities “pending League review,” the Grizzlies announced on Twitter, adding the team had no further comment.
It is not known when or where the second video was shot.
Nike thought Ja Morant checked all the boxes
Morant joined LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George on the roster of Nike’s current NBA signature athletes. The sneaker released globally in April 2023.
According to multiple sources, Morant’s business relationship with Nike and Powerade may come to a “pause” in coming days as more information is gathered about the latest incident in question.
The Grizzlies season ended last month when they were eliminated from the playoffs by the LA Lakers.
Neither Morant, nor the Grizzlies, nor the NBA has issued a statement at this point.
I hate seeing people ruin their lives but at some point they have to feel the pain of the consequences before they realize they need to change their behavior. Hopefully this doesn’t cause long term harm though and he really does change and bounce back.