Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is facing a two-game suspension after he was seen flaunting a firearm during an Instagram live.
In the last week, the 23-year-old professional basketball player is sitting in hot water after multiple scandals emerged revolving around his possession of firearms.
Last summer, a teenage boy and a mall security guard claimed they were threatened by the Grizzlies star. Although there was not enough evidence to support the claims of the security guard, and the teenage boy never decided to press charges, Morant’s social media presence recently left him suspended for at least two games.
Only a few days ago, the NBA player took to Instagram live and recorded himself flashing a gun while at a nightclub in Glendale, Colorado. Since the league prohibits players from possessing firearms while on team property or traveling on team business, he was suspended for a minimum of two games, and his team is unable to confirm when he will return.
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“The focus right now is Ja’s taking responsibility to really get the help he needs to get to a better place, generally speaking, but also on the flip side, to be in a better place to embrace the responsibility and expectations as a member of this team,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. “That’s what we’re dialoguing about. That’s what we’re going to support him through, but we’re also going to hold him accountable, too.”
Jenkins also told reporters prior to their game against the Clippers that Morant’s return to the court is unknown. “We’re taking it one day at a time,” he explained. “There’s no definitive timeline… It’s really not a timetable situation.”
Ja Morant responds to his two-game suspension from the NBA
Since Morant’s suspension, the player has issued a statement addressing his behavior and his plans for self-improvement moving forward. “I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis, and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down,” he shared via his agent.
Morant proceeded to detail his plan to improve his mental state and explained, “I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
The 23-year-old basketball player is currently being investigated by Glendale Police Department. Although no complaints were made of the athlete in the town, he supposedly violated Colorado’s open-carry laws for firearms “regulated by local county and municipal authorities.”
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