It will be hard to catch up with Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant in terms of forehead-slapping moments, which went from slightly annoying to scary in rapid fashion.
In the last two years, there have been gun-related incidents tied to Morant’s name — all after he signed a five-year, $231 million contract extension in July 2022. The first incident came when he allegedly beat up a 17-year-old during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s home and then displayed a gun to the teenager following the fight.
The second came following a home game against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 29, 2023, in which The Athletic reported Morant, his father, Tee Morant, and several of his associates verbally sparred with several of the Pacers during the game. After the game, an SUV with Ja Morant in it reportedly pointed a red laser inside the Pacers’ team bus — a red laser thought to be attached to a gun.
The third incident came following a Grizzlies’ road loss at the Denver Nuggets on March 3, 2023, when Ja Morant went on his Instagram Live at 3:19 a.m., rapping and displaying a gun from inside of a nightclub. The Grizzlies, finally out of options, were forced to suspend Morant for at least two games as authorities in Colorado opened an investigation into Morant’s actions at the club, as did the NBA.
Two months later Morant displayed a gun during a friend’s Instagram Live. Seriously. The NBA came down hard and suspended him for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 regular season.
