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(Lead image via David Berding/Getty Images)
Early Saturday morning on March 4, 2023, Memphis Grizzlies athlete Ja Morant was seen flashing a gun on Instagram Live by way of his personal account. At the time, the rising basketball star was at a Colorado strip club when he decided to flash the gun on Instagram Live while singing and dancing with friends.
Since then, team management for the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Morant would be suspended for the next two games. The 23-year-old baller is also being investigated by the NBA and has deleted his social media accounts amidst taking some time off to focus on his well-being.
Morant addressed the video in an official statement saying:
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. 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.
Ja Morant
This incident comes at a critical time as Morant just celebrated the launch of his first signature sneaker, the Nike Ja 1.
Nike spared no expense at Salt Lake City’s 2023 All-Star Weekend as the Swoosh hosted a giant Mt. 12Skii pop-up in honor of the Nike Ja 1 launch, which included colorways “Scratch” and “Midnight.”
In regards to Morant’s viral gun video, Nike has now issued an official statement:
We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.
Nike
Details about the gun remain unanswered as it is unclear who the gun actually belongs to, if the gun was real, and whether or not Morant carried it on the team plane.
In following days, the NBA should announce Morant’s consequences, which could result in further suspension or a fine.
The police department of Glendale, Colorado has closed its investigation into Morant with no charge or crime. Morant was potentially facing misdemeanor charges in Colorado if the police found that he was under the influence while holding the gun.
Glendale PD released a statement saying, “There was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime.”
The police department added that it did not find witnesses or complainants who could conclusively state a gun was present by Ja Morant, and that “a video alone is not enough to bring charges.”
At the time of writing, the Memphis Grizzlies are 3rd in the Western Conference and are set to face off against the Golden State Warriors tomorrow, March 9th. Morant’s return to the court still seems to be pending.
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