By: Brayden Yin

Ja Morant, the star point guard of the Memphis Grizzlies, was suspended for 25 games of the NBA season after he posted a video on social media that showed him recklessly waving a gun around.

For years, the NBA has taken steps to be seen as progressive, especially on the topic of gun violence. Players such as Stephen Curry and LeBron James have advocated for safety with firearms, and Morant’s careless handling of a gun threatens to destroy the league’s efforts.

Morant is one of the most recognized players in the NBA, boasting one of the most popular jerseys worn by fans and 12.5 million followers across Instagram and Twitter. However, he plays in a city that has long struggled against gun violence. Social media has been a medium to spread Morant’s ideas that even he admits were harmful.

He had already been suspended for 8 games after he streamed a video on Instagram in March, while he waved a gun around in a nightclub. He checked into a mental health facility to deal with stress, but soon afterward, on May 13, a friend of his streamed another video of Morant waving a gun around as he rode in a vehicle.

After these two videos were brought to the attention of the NBA, Ja Morant was indefinitely suspended from the Memphis Grizzlies. Since then, he has shown remorse for his carelessness, but said that the punishment was, in his own words, “excessive and inappropriate.”

Some disagree with Morant’s standpoint on his punishment. Kris Brown is the president of Brady, a nonprofit organization dedicated to stop and prevent gun violence. She says that the NBA was correct to penalize Morant for his actions.

Gun violence is a controversial topic, and because Morant made light of it, he faced the consequences.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/sports/basketball/ja-morant-grizzlies-suspended-nba.html