MAY 17: After Silver spoke to Andrews on Tuesday, Morant issued a statement through his representatives addressing the recent viral video, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” Morant said. “This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”
MAY 16: In a TV appearance at the draft lottery Tuesday evening, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was “shocked” by the latest incident of Ja Morant appearing to waive a gun on social media, he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter video link).
“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend that video,” Silver said. “Now, we’re in the process of investigating it, and we’ll figure out exactly what happened to the best we can. The video is a bit grainy and all that, but I’m assuming the worst.”
The incident came less than two-and-a-half months after Morant flashed a firearm at a Denver-area strip club while streaming on Instagram Live. That video, which immediately prompted an investigation from the NBA, eventually led to an eight-game suspension.
“We talked directly about the consequences first,” Silver said of his conversation with Morant following the first incident (hat tip to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon). “Before we got to a subsequent potential to have done something wrong, we were very focused on the misconduct that was in front of us at the time. Frankly, most of our conversation was about how incredibly serious the first incident was of waving a firearm on social media.
“Again, the consequences there — an eight-game suspension — was pretty serious and something that he, at least to me, seemed to take incredibly seriously in that time. And we spoke for a long time about not just the consequences that could have on his career, but the safety issues around it — (Morant) could’ve injured, maimed, killed himself, someone else with an act like that — and also the acknowledgment that he’s a star.
“He has an incredibly huge following, and (we discussed) my concern — and I thought he shared with me — that millions, if not tens of millions, of kids globally would have seen him do something that was celebrating in a way that act of using a firearm in that fashion.”
Morant’s live stream in March was part of a series of troubling off-court incidents allegedly involving the 23-year-old, who punched a 17-year-old during a pickup game last summer, was accused of threatening a security guard at a Memphis mall, and was reportedly involved in a confrontation with members of the Pacers’ traveling party after a January game.
Morant didn’t face any criminal charges for the March incident and almost certainly won’t face any for this video either, but the NBA has significant latitude to fine or suspend its players for conduct it deems detrimental to the league.
The most recent reporting has indicated that Morant, who was suspended from all team activities by the Grizzlies after the latest video, is likely to face a much harsher punishment this time around.
The word shock is not the correct word. more like unbelievable stupidity to get caught a second time after all that happened. How hard is it to stay away from videos and guns? He must be like many Americans and has a unhealthy gun obsession.
Omg you want grown men to stay away from videos? You know they need to watch film to review games. Smdh some people take this way too far…
SMH lets see gun and video gets him in trouble. a few months later same thing. Now that is stupidity. Nothing you can say defends that.
Lil D what does the D stand for because you would have to be a dummy to think he meant stay away from all videos. Clearly he meant stay off of videos doing stupid things like waving around a gun.
Shocked is the right word. Shocked that many believed him that he needed help with counseling and shocked that many believed him when he said he was sorry. He’ll soon be playing for the Tennessee State Penitentiary or Tennessee State Cemetery, unfortunately.
I don’t get the need for him to show off a gun? He needs to leave them home instead of acting like some tough guy from a mafia movie.
Easy there, more shootings than days this year. But we are all supposed to pretend that the guns are ok.
It’s shockingly stupid of Ja to risk his future in the NBA like this…
Maybe he just want a couple years at a retreat?
I never saw a gun
Lol this defense will work, case has been tried in the court of public opinion , Ja Morant is NBA Dumbboy and he’s gonna lose a lot of money next year, and since this isn’t a legal situation his case will not be heard, it’s already over he’s guilty
Are you blind?
So when Ja just gets say 25-40 game suspension what will he get for another repeat offense when he tells on himself once again? It better be a full season next time.
And to be honest if Ron Artest get a 1 year suspension Then Ja also deserves a year.
The only way to reach this kid (and Yes, he is a “kid” despite being a grown man) is to suspend him for the entire ‘23-‘24 season. Hopefully the Commissioner has the courage to do it!
Or just from the allstar break on lol
@AZ
No he isn’t a kid. He’s 23 yo and has a child himself he’s responsible. God forbid he purposely or accidentally shot someone other than in self defense the legal system would adjudicate him as an adult. So if the heavy penalties would be the same as if he were 40 then let’s treat him like he’s 40 with the hours of deterring him from those worse case scenarios. All the coddling is the problem. If he was just some regular kid no one would be as kind in the treatment doled out. Not saying take away his career out even suspend him for a full year but certainly months with no pay and a stiff fine should be considered.
Grizzlies are done for next year. Another consequence of his actions. Just a great teammate lols …….
Seems he doesn’t care. So why should I. Get your life in order Ja. Grow TFU ……
Anyone still prefers head case Ja over Zion?
Don’t think so, Zion has always been a much better player & person.
Player: Ja > Zion
Person: Ja < Zion
Person yes, but it’s foolish to say Zion is a better player. 114 games across four full seasons. He’s missed 221 of his team’s games. Only healthy like 35% of the time. When he plays, he’s in Morant’s class… but he doesn’t play enough. Morant surpassed him a while ago.
Mordant isn’t committed to working on himself. The guy is demonstrating he cares more about the gangsta lifestyle than his NBA career. what’s worse is someone is going to get hurt or murdered and he will be in the middle of it and lose everything he worked hard to get. There were a lot of professional athletes who have blazed that trail, and he looks to be following the same path.
I’m by far more shocked that the pistons didn’t get the #1 pick
Silver looks like the Silver Surfer to me. With glasses of course.
link to youtube.com
135 Harvard Law Review F. 537, June, 2022
link to harvardlawreview.org
I do hope Silver actually does something meaningful… Becausr the discipline has been lacking in the NBA…