By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 16:52:42 | Updated at 2024-11-22 09:16:54
1 week ago
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has courted controversy once again following the team's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The point guard was sidelined for the Grizzlies' 128-123 defeat to LeBron James and the Lakers Wednesday night with a hip injury.
However, he still managed to cause a stir from the bench with the 25-year-old's actions catching attention.
Morant was spotted appearing to make a gun action at Anthony Davis with his hand while sat on Memphis's bench.
The gesture immediately raised eyebrows among NBA fans following Morant's previous suspensions over gun-related incidents.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has courted controversy once again Wednesday night
The point guard was spotted appearing to make a gun action at Lakers' Anthony Davis
Furious NBA fans hit out at the move, with many branding it 'dumb' and calling Morant a 'clown' on social media.
'Ja Morant doing the shooting gun fingers at AD is crazy. This man will never learn,' one social media user posted.
'People do not change. Only a matter of time,' a second warned.
'Bro can’t help himself,' a third claimed, while another insisted, 'Bro needs to put it to rest.'
'Bro just can’t control himself. Never learn, man,' another agreed.
Meanwhile, one NBA fan urged Memphis to take action, claiming: 'Grizzlies need to pay someone to just stand behind him and smack him in the back of the head whenever he does this s***.'
One appeared saddened by Morant's actions, as they wrote: 'It's tough to watch, especially when he has so much potential. Hopefully, he can turn it around soon.'
'Is there a way to bet on the likelihood of Ja Morant being suspended again?,' one fan questioned, referring to Morant's previous suspensions stemming from gun-related incidents.
Furious NBA fans hit out at the move, with many branding it 'dumb' on social media
On March 3 2023, Morant flashed a gun on an Instagram Live video in Shotgun Willie's, a strip club in Glendale, Colorado, following a loss to the Denver Nuggets.
The move sparked severe backlash with the NBA handing down an eight-game suspension to Morant, who checked himself into a private counseling facility in Colorado.
But eight games seemingly weren't enough to drive the message home. Just ten weeks later, Morant was caught in yet another gun-flashing incident.
This time, having not learnt his lesson, Morant was captured waving the firearm in a car on friend Davonte Pack's Instagram Live.
Once again Morant faced blowback, this time bigger than ever. It was the second incident of this nature in three months and the league took its time deliberating its punishment, before Adam Silver landed on a 25-game suspension.
The NBA commissioner branded Morant's conduct 'alarming and disconcerting' and 'reckless and irresponsible,' noting that the star is a role model for many children.
The ban forced Morant to miss a large chunk to start the 2023-24 season with the star finally making his return on December 19, 2023.
But just a week later, he was accused of performing a gun-related celebration after performing a dunk during an overtime win.
The 25-year-old was suspended after flashing a firearm on an Instagram Live in March 2023
Morant was seen with a gun on an Instagram Live video for a second time in May 2023
Morant celebrated by stretching out both his arms and appearing to pull a trigger before moving his hands towards his head - as if holding something on his shoulder - which sparked outrage on social media with users claiming he was mimicking flashing a gun.
He reposted a tweet claiming he was imitating players from LSU who have performed a similar celebration after scoring a touchdown.
Since then, however, Morant has seized his second chance, staying out of controversy and the headlines.
This season, Morant has averaged 20.6 points, 5 rebounds and 9.1 assists in eight games for the Grizzlies.
