Ja Morant has learned that his suspension from the NBA will last for eight games after his misconduct for holding up a firearm and flashing it on Instagram Live earlier this month. The Memphis Grizzlies basketball star caused controversy when he hopped on the social media app while visiting the Shotgun Willi’s strip club in Denver. And apparently, Morant arrived with a weapon on him which he gleefully displayed to his impressionable fans during his Live session.
But if that wasn’t enough, the 23-year-old then found himself in even more trouble when the owner of the club is alleged to have released still shots of surveillance video showing Morant enjoying a lap dance from one of the strippers. The graphic images only appeared to have worsened Morant’s case of getting off with a lesser punishment, but as confirmed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday, Morant will not be playing for his team for a total of eight games.
Absolutely nobody :
Ja Morant : pic.twitter.com/ko50pqehQp
— Dan The Man ‼️ (@DV_NR) March 6, 2023
Silver added that Morant also won’t be getting paid for the time he’s been away amid claims the athlete recently completed a Florida counseling program before meeting with NBA execs to discuss how things would move forward following his recent actions. “Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless, and potentially very dangerous,” Silver said in a statement.
“It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere remorse for his behavior.
He continued, “Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court.”
It should be noted that while the suspension was issued based on what was posted on Morant’s social media, the time away from basketball will presumably also allow him to reflect on the other series of events where he had found himself in unfavorable situations and lawsuits.
He was accused of allegedly threatening a high school student in September, as well as being sued by another teen who alleged he had been struck in the face by the NBA baller “with a closed fist” that knocked the victim straight to the ground in July. The heated altercation allegedly broke out at a basketball game at Morant’s Tennessee home over the summer.
A dispute occurred between the pair, with the teen admitting he accidentally hit Morant in the face when he threw his basketball at him out of frustration, which court documents alleged had led him to retaliate in a physical manner.
Ja Morant has always been a character on IG Live😂 pic.twitter.com/bzd8Vd1xu5
— CamFL (@CamCWFL) March 4, 2023
While things haven’t been going all that well for Morant, with a handful of his NBA peers having denounced his conduct, one of his biggest sponsors, Nike, is continuing to stand by his side. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, wasted no time in pulling its content featuring Ja Morant from their Powerade sports drink campaign in light of the controversy surrounding him.
Coca-Cola has yet to give a comment on their working relationship with Morant and whether their partnership with him will continue following the gun-flashing incident.