NAfter his second misstep with a gun, basketball star Ja Morant was suspended for a long time without pay by the Memphis Grizzlies as a repeat offender in the NBA. The 23-year-old has to watch the first 25 games of the coming season because of “league-damaging behavior”. This was announced by the North American professional league on Friday.
Morant “deliberately and clearly displayed a weapon on May 13” while “sitting in a car with several other people,” the verdict said. The professional swung the firearm even though he knew it was happening at the moment streamed live on Instagram.
“Ja Morant’s decision to wield a gun again on social media is alarming and troubling given his similar behavior in March, for which he was previously suspended for eight games,” said NBA boss Adam Silver.
First nightclub incident
For Morant, “basketball must now take a back seat. Prior to his return, he must develop and implement a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior,” Silver said.
It was Morant’s second offense of this kind. In March, he posed in a drunken state with a gun outside a Denver nightclub, which was also broadcast in a video stream. At that time, the 23-year-old was sentenced to eight games without pay. He lost about $669,000 in salary as a result. Morant had promised that such behavior would not be repeated.
At the end of May, the police visited Morant for cryptic posts on social media and checked the controversial basketball star for the right one. According to TV broadcaster ESPN, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee later gave the all-clear that the player was fine.
“I love you Ma”, “I love you Pops” and “You are the dearest little girl, I love you” Morant posted on Instagram, followed by a “Bye”. Apparently the police were informed afterwards.