Ja Morant has not taken kindly to the way the NBA media and the league has responded to his new celebrations.
Ja Morant is one of the most brilliant young players in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies guard is a throwback – an athletic point guard that specializes in driving to the basket.
But with Ja come his demons. Morant has habitually had behavioral issues off the court. During the 2022-23 NBA season, Morant was punished twice for brandishing a firearm in videos.
Since the second suspension, Morant stayed out of trouble. Well, that is, until recently, when Morant started making gun gestures at the Golden State Warriors during a game.
Fans were worried Morant was back to his old ways after a year of staying out of trouble. Even Stephen A. Smith was concerned after the NBA launched an investigation. But Ja has no remorse for what he did.
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During a recent game, Ja Morant debuted a new celebration – pantomiming a grenade throw into the crowd.
When asked about his recent celebrations and gestures referencing heavy weaponry on the Gary Parish Show, Morant gave a vague yet belligerent response.
The former All-Star noted that he was tired of conforming and wanted to be himself.
“Listen, it’s not what you think it is. I’m taking my words, and I’m throwing them out there. Speaking Ja, and I’m being Ja. I’m going to take my words, I’m going to throw them out there, and then I’m going to block out the noise.”
“And that’s what I’m doing. So when you see me do that, that’s what I’m doing. I’m saying what I got to say to the world, and I’m blocking out the noise in the midst of what’s coming back my way. And that’s how it’s going to be.”
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There is no denying Ja Morant is an absolutely brilliant basketball player. But right now, he garners more notoriety for his celebrations rather than has incredible play.
Morant has long been compared to Allen Iverson, and recently, not in a good way. If he can’t stay out of his own way, it’s gonna cause a lot of problems for him and the Grizzlies.
NBA legend Vernon Maxwell, a player who knows about disciplinary issues, gave Morant some advice. Ja Morant must do better to make sure his career doesn’t suffer.
The Grizzlies are already in disarray, with the firing of Taylor Jenkins catching everyone by surprise. While Morant had nothing to do with Jenkins’ firing, he is responsible for leading the team during this tough time.
