Grizzlies Star Ja Morant Suspended Again After New Video Shows Apparent Gun
May 14, 2023, 10:06 AM | Updated: 4:02 pm
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court during a 111-101 Los Angeles Lakers win in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Memphis Grizzlies announced that basketball star Ja Morant has been suspended from all team activities after a new video surfaced on social media showing the point guard apparently holding a gun.
The Grizzlies shared a statement on Morant’s suspension on Sunday, May 14.
RELATED: Grizzlies’ Ja Morant To Miss 2 Games, Video Shows Apparent Gun
“We are aware of the social media video involving Ja Morant. He is suspended from all team activities pending League review,” the Grizzlies stated. “We have no further comment at this time.”
Statement from the Memphis Grizzlies pic.twitter.com/XXLjr6QtlG
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) May 14, 2023
The NBA released a similar statement on Morant, via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“NBA spokesperson Mike Bass: “We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,” the NBA insider tweeted.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass: “We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information.”
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 14, 2023
The new social media appeared to show Morant riding in the front passenger seat of a vehicle and holding what looked to be a gun.
.@wojespn provides the latest on Ja Morant and his suspension: pic.twitter.com/Dw1fVFn9vn
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 14, 2023
It’s Morant’s second time being suspended since the beginning of March. In early March, the Grizzlies suspended Morant indefinitely after a previous Instagram Live video showed the NBA player with an alleged firearm in a nightclub.
.@memgrizz star Ja Morant will miss at least the next two games after he livestreamed himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a nightclub. #NBA #NBATwitter https://t.co/H1Stk4knzw
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 4, 2023
After the first suspension, Morant released the following statement:
“I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I’m giong to take some tiem away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.” – Ja Morant
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Morant ended up missing eight games in March. The point guard had been in counseling at a Florida facility while he served his suspension.
During his initial suspension, Morant told ESPN that he realizes “what I have to lose” and said he would try to be “more responsible, more smarter and staying away from all the bad decisions.”
Morant and the Grizzlies were eliminated in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers during the first round of the playoffs.
The Murray State product averaged 26.2 points per game this season. Morant has been named an NBA All-Star twice during his four seasons in the league.
