Ja Morant aims ‘finger pistols’ at Warriors bench as NBA fans call for gun-happy Grizzlies star’s suspension

Ja Morant aims 'finger pistols' at Warriors bench as NBA fans call for gun-happy Grizzlies star's suspension

Ja Morant is facing calls for his suspension after the Memphis Grizzlies star pretended to point guns at Golden State Warriors players during Tuesday’s loss.

Morant wasn’t alone in doing a ‘finger gun’ gesture as both he and Golden State’s Buddy Hield were given technical fouls for pointing at each other. Of course, Hield doesn’t have Morant’s history with firearms.

Morant has previously served two suspensions totaling 33 games for gunplay, including one incident in which he brandished a pistol at a strip club. And while Tuesday’s incident did not involve a real firearm, fans were nonetheless upset to see Morant’s pantomime.

‘Ja Morant literally just pretended he was shooting a gun at the Warriors’ bench,’ one fan wrote on social media. ‘And that’s the guy you want to be the idenтιтy of your franchise Memphis? Pathetic. Suspend his a** again @NBA.’

‘Dude will never EVER learn,’ another added.

However, not everyone was convinced Morant’s gesture was quite so objectionable.

Morant walks by Jimmy Butler and directs a 'finger gun' gesture to the Warriors' bench

Morant walks by Jimmy Butler and directs a ‘finger gun’ gesture to the Warriors’ bench

Buddy Hield (motioning, left) also received a technical foul with Morant for a similar gesture

Buddy Hield (motioning, left) also received a technical foul with Morant for a similar gesture

Morant's history of gunplay has fans calling for another suspension for the Grizzlies star

Morant’s history of gunplay has fans calling for another suspension for the Grizzlies star 

Read More Horrific moment NBA fan suffers gruesome injury and is stretchered off court during in-game contest article image

‘He pointing,’ one fan argued. ‘I don’t see a trigger finger. Ease up drama queens.’

Several Warriors players are seen reacting to Morant, including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Hield, who was standing off the court along the Golden State bench.

This is not the first time Morant has made the gesture this season. While sidelined for a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in November, Morant mimed pointing a gun at Anthony Davis.

‘Ja Morant doing the shooting gun fingers at AD is crazy,’ one fan wrote on X. ‘This man will never learn.’

The NBA has yet to rule on any punishment for Morant, but other players have been punished for similar incidents. For instance, Phoenix Suns forward Josh Jackson was fined $35,000 in 2017 for making a ‘menacing gesture’ towards a fan.

The NFL has also begun fining players for any firearm-related celebration.

Morant’s history with guns is well documented.

On March 3, 2023, Morant flashed a gun on an Instagram Live video in SH๏τgun Willie’s, a strip club in Glendale, Colorado, following a loss to the Denver Nuggets.

The move sparked severe backlash with the NBA handing down an eight-game suspension to Morant, who checked himself into a private counseling facility in Colorado.

Morant was suspended after flashing a firearm on an Instagram Live in March 2023

Morant was suspended after flashing a firearm on an Instagram Live in March 2023

Morant was seen with a gun on an Instagram Live video for a second time in May 2023

 Morant was seen with a gun on an Instagram Live video for a second time in May 2023

But eight games seemingly weren’t enough to drive the message home. Just ten weeks later, Morant was caught in yet another gun-flashing incident. This time, having not learnt his lesson, Morant was captured waving the firearm in a car on friend Davonte Pack’s Instagram Live.

Once again Morant faced blowback, this time bigger than ever. It was the second incident of this nature in three months and the league took its time deliberating its punishment, before Adam Silver landed on a 25-game suspension.

The NBA commissioner branded Morant’s conduct ‘alarming and disconcerting’ and ‘reckless and irresponsible,’ noting that the star is a role model for many children.

The ban forced Morant to miss a large chunk to start the 2023-24 season with the star finally making his return on December 19, 2023.

The Grizzlies have endured a rocky stretch, losing eight of their last ten as head coach Taylor Jenkins was fired ahead of the playoffs, which begin later this month. The 44-32 Grizzlies are in danger of falling into seventh in the Western Conference standings, meaning they’d be forced to play in the play-in tournament to qualify for the postseason.

Related Posts

Shaquille O’Neal reveals the only time his controversial comments landed him in trouble with HR

Shaquille O’Neal reveals the only time his controversial comments landed him in trouble with HR

Shaquille O’Neal has revealed the only time he got in trouble with human resources during his career was after he came out in support of flat-Earth conspiracy…

Joel Embiid admits he’s still hopeful of returning from his knee injury in the regular season – regardless of the 76ers’ record after losing five of eight without the reigning MVP: ‘I wanna be on the floor… I want to try to help us’

Joel Embiid admits he’s still hopeful of returning from his knee injury in the regular season – regardless of the 76ers’ record after losing five of eight without the reigning MVP: ‘I wanna be on the floor… I want to try to help us’

Most watched Sport videos After missing the Philadelphia 76ers’ last eight games with a knee injury, reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid made his eagerness to return crystal…

Shocking details of NBA star Rudy Gobert’s bitter split with his pregnant girlfriend emerge amid playoff run

Shocking details of NBA star Rudy Gobert’s bitter split with his pregnant girlfriend emerge amid playoff run

Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert dumped his pregnant girlfriend and kicked her and their one-year-old son out of his home last month, according to a bombshell report….

Magic Johnson recalls hanging up on Michael Jackson TWICE when he called to ask him to appear in a music video… and how he let Prince have a pajama party at his movie theater

Magic Johnson recalls hanging up on Michael Jackson TWICE when he called to ask him to appear in a music video… and how he let Prince have a pajama party at his movie theater

Most watched Sport videos Magic Johnson recalled a time when he hung up on Michael Jackson twice and hosted Prince at one of his movie theaters, as he reminisced…

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton celebrates just his SIXTH birthday after being born on February 29… as Indiana hilariously gets him a kid’s card and calls him ‘the best 6-year-old in the NBA’

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton celebrates just his SIXTH birthday after being born on February 29… as Indiana hilariously gets him a kid’s card and calls him ‘the best 6-year-old in the NBA’

Most watched Sport videos Tyrese Haliburton has only just turned sixth, according to the Indiana Pacers, as the NBA franchise hilariously celebrated their All-Star point guard’s leap…

NBA team Phoenix Suns at center of ‘extortion’ claims as shocking allegations emerge

NBA team Phoenix Suns at center of ‘extortion’ claims as shocking allegations emerge

Yet another Phoenix Suns employee is suing the team alleging discrimination, harᴀssment and retaliation. However, the team says they are being ‘extorted’ by the lawyer representing the…