Ja Morant Suspended For 25 Games In Upcoming NBA Season
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Ja Morant has been suspended for the third time, and will now miss out on 25 games in the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA season. On Friday (June 16), the NBA issued a statement about the consequences the Memphis Grizzlies player will face, which stems from a recent video of the 23-year-old waving a gun on Instagram Live.
The NBA issued the following statement:
“Morant posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video on May 13, less than two months after he was suspended eight games without pay for the live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver area nightclub.
The league office found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis. Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined. On May 16, Morant issued a statement taking full accountability for his actions.
Morant’s suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play. He will also be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension.”
Included in the statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “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.”
He added, “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated. For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”
Morant has also had a series of off-court incidents over the years, including allegedly threatening a minor with a gun and another video of him holding a firearm at a strip club in March. His most recent incident happened in May after an Instagram Live video showed Morant brandishing a gun in the passenger seat of a car.
Following the incident, the NBA all-star took full accountability for his actions only for his team to later allegedly claim the gun was a toy.
“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” he apologized. “This is a journey, and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”
Ja Morant released a statement following his latest suspension. pic.twitter.com/zMAX2MSOiI
— ESPN (@espn) May 17, 2023
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