Topline
The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant for 25 games on Friday after video surfaced of the 23-year-old waving a gun in an Instagram Live video, marking Morant’s third suspension this year amid a series of off-court incidents, though the NBA’s Players Association labeled the suspension “excessive.”
Ja Morant was suspended 25 games by the NBA.
Key Facts
Morant will miss the first 25 games of the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA season without pay due to “conduct detrimental to the league,” the NBA announced.
According to a statement, Morant “intentionally and prominently displayed” a gun from the passenger seat of a car, despite “having made commitments” saying he would “not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined”—Morant had been suspended in March after he was filmed holding a gun at a strip club in Denver, and had apologized for the incident.
Morant will not be able to participate in any team or league activities during that time, and will be required to complete a league program that “directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”
The Grizzlies suspended Morant last month from all team activities following the team’s elimination from the playoffs, after an Instagram Live video showed Morant flashing a gun in the passenger seat of a car—the Grizzlies did not say how long Morant’s suspension would last.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said at the time the NBA was “in the process of gathering more information,” telling The Athletic the league had reviewed the video.
Chief Critic
National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio criticized the suspension—which would leave Morant off the court until December—in a statement, calling it “excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons” and “not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league.” Tremaglio said the NBPA is working with Morant on possible next steps.
Key Background
Morant’s first suspension came in March after an Instagram Live video showed him holding a gun at a Denver strip club following a Grizzlies’ away game against the Nuggets. That video led to investigations by the NBA, which suspended him for eight games without pay, and by local authorities. Colorado police did not press charges, but called the video “concerning” (Colorado’s open carry law does not permit firearm possession while intoxicated). The NBA, following its investigation, did not determine the gun belonged to Morant or that he brought it into the club. Morant apologized for the incident, saying he was “committed to continuing to work on myself.”
Tangent
Morant had also been accused of hitting a 17-year-old during a pick-up basketball game at his home in Memphis last summer, though he was not charged after prosecutors said there was not enough evidence in the case—the teenager claimed Morant knocked him to the ground while Morant insisted he was acting in self-defense.
Further Reading
Ja Morant: A Timeline Of All His Controversies (Forbes)
Grizzlies Star Ja Morant Suspended For Second Gun-Waving Video (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/06/16/nba-players-union-slams-ja-morants-25-game-suspension-as-excessive/