Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies was suspended for 25 games last Friday, after posting a second video of himself waving a gun on social media (Deb and Ganguli 2023).
This was not the first time that Morant was suspended for brandishing a firearm. The first time he did so he was suspended for 8 games. So, given the consequences, it is surprising that he did this again. However, this time he was punished more heavily. He was suspended from all team activities and 25 games. While it is not illegal for him to do such things, it undermines the NBA’s efforts to encourage gun safety for the public.
23-year-old Ja Morant was born on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina. He is currently a point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies after he was drafted in 2019.
The NBA is ‘dumbfounded’ at Morant’s repeat behavior. “Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Friday. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning”. In his apology video, he said that he wanted a chance to prove that “I’m a better man than I’ve been showing you.” However, it will undoubtedly be hard to reclaim the reputation he had before the incident.
Sources:
https://www.nba.com/news/ja-morant-suspended-25-games
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/sports/basketball/ja-morant-grizzlies-suspended-nba.html
This was not the first time that Morant was suspended for brandishing a firearm. The first time he did so he was suspended for 8 games. So, given the consequences, it is surprising that he did this again. However, this time he was punished more heavily. He was suspended from all team activities and 25 games. While it is not illegal for him to do such things, it undermines the NBA’s efforts to encourage gun safety for the public.
23-year-old Ja Morant was born on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina. He is currently a point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies after he was drafted in 2019.
The NBA is ‘dumbfounded’ at Morant’s repeat behavior. “Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Friday. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning”. In his apology video, he said that he wanted a chance to prove that “I’m a better man than I’ve been showing you.” However, it will undoubtedly be hard to reclaim the reputation he had before the incident.
Sources:
https://www.nba.com/news/ja-morant-suspended-25-games
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/sports/basketball/ja-morant-grizzlies-suspended-nba.html
