Grizzlies’ Ja Morant ‘away from the team’ for at least two games after appearing to display gun in video
Memphis Grizzlies star Yes Morant will be gone of the team for at least two games after video emerged overnight of the star appearing to display a gun at a nightclub, the team announced on Saturday.
The Grizzlies travel to Los Angeles on Sunday night to take on the Clippers before playing the LA Lakers on Tuesday.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates a 3-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter of a game at Target Center on November 30, 2022 in Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)
The video circulated on social media Saturday morning following the Grizzlies’ 113-97 loss to the Denver nuggets Friday night.
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Morant can be seen in the video holding a gun while dancing with no shirt on.
The NBA released a statement Saturday morning saying it is investigating the video.
“We are aware of a social media post involving Ja Morant and are investigating,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said, according to ESPN.
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The video surfaced on social media days after a police report said Morant allegedly displayed a gun after punching a teenager “12 or 13 times” during a basketball game last summer.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies during a game against the Denver Nuggets on March 3, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
In The Washington Post report, Morant allegedly punched a teenager in the head “12 to 13 times” in a pickup basketball game at Morant’s home.
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According to the report, Morant entered his home after the altercation and emerged with a gun at his waist and his hand on the weapon.
Morant told police he acted in self-defense and filed a report after the teen allegedly said he would come back after the altercation and “light up this place like fireworks”.
“Every allegation involving a firearm has been fully investigated and could not be confirmed. This includes last month’s NBA investigation, in which they found no evidence,” Morant’s agent, Jim Tanner, told The Washington Post, adding that it “was purely self-defense.”
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedEx Forum on February 28, 2023 in Memphis. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
“Again, after this was fully investigated by law enforcement, they came to the decision not to charge Ja with any crime.”
That accusation followed one previous controversy involving Morant. The Indiana Pacers claimed that after an altercation between Morant associates and the Pacers, a red laser was pointed at the team from an SUV Morant was transporting, which the Pacers believed was a gun.
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The NBA investigated the incident and found that no “person threatened others with a weapon.”
Fox News Ryan Morik contributed to this report
