The Grizzlies are 4-0 since Ja Morant’s return and the star was named the Western Conference Player of the Week in his first stretch back from a 25-game suspension, but his celebration following a dunk Tuesday has drawn scrutiny from some observers.
With 14 seconds left in overtime and Memphis leading the Pelicans by four, Marcus Smart tossed an alley-oop to Morant, and when the 24-year-old landed he put both hands up before stretching his arms out — a move that could’ve been interpreted as using finger guns — and then moving them toward the side of his head.
Morant reposted a video on X that compiled clips of LSU football players unveiling similar dances while celebrating touchdowns, with some users suggesting perhaps Morant used it because the Grizzlies were playing in New Orleans.
But others countered by criticizing Morant for unveiling anything that even resembled — or could’ve been confused for — finger guns, given that he’d just returned from a 25-game suspension for flashing a handgun on Instagram Live for a second time.
“The optics of ja morant own employer promoting the flashing of gun hand motions after coming back from a 25 game suspension is insane,” one user wrote on X.
The exact optics and context behind his dance remain unclear, and the Grizzlies’ team account even shared a clip on social media.
Morant was booed in New Orleans during his first game back with the Grizzlies, but when he returned to Memphis for his first home matchup the crowd cheered during his introduction.
He has been suspended twice — once for eight games last season, the second for 25 games to start the 2023-24 campaign — for being caught on video holding guns, with the first occurring at a Denver-area strip club and the second appearing on Instagram Live while in a car.
After his second suspension, Morant apologized for the “harm that I’ve done” and for failing to act as a role model, while NBA commissioner Adam Silver described Morant’s second video with a firearm as “alarming” and “disconcerting.”
The Grizzlies won Morant’s first game back in New Orleans on Dec. 19, with Morant scoring 34 points and hitting a game-winner at the buzzer.
The Grizzlies then won games against the Pacers and Hawks before defeating the Pelicans again.
“It’s big-time, man,” Morant told Grizzlies.com of the four wins and Memphis’ performance since his return. “These are my guys. I love them. Obviously excited to be back, but being able to come back and win four games now and continue to take this momentum to the next game, next day, is big time for us.”
Their next matchup comes Thursday against the Nuggets in Denver.
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