On Wednesday, the NBA reportedly warned Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Golden State Warriors backup guard Buddy Hield for an “inappropriate” celebration. The two used the “shooter” gesture in the highly contested game between the two teams on Tuesday. Per Shams Charania, the league determined the acts not “intended to be violent in nature,” which allowed them to escape without penalties.
On Thursday, Morant replicated the gesture against the Miami Heat. He repeated the controversial celebration after hitting a 3-pointer with 7:50 left in the first quarter.
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Fans promptly reacted to Ja Morant’s antics:
“He’s trolling the entire NBA”
One fan said:
“he pulled the AK out tn”
Another fan added:
“he really keeps it on him”
@WheatleyHayden continued:
“Ja out here doing everything he can to get suspended before the playoffs.”
@thisalyfestyle reacted:
“Incoming 50,000 dollar fine”
The second gun gesture in back-to-back games will likely push the NBA to review the act. No one will be surprised if the league has a more serious response than the warning issued to the former All-Star.
In 2023, Ja Morant was suspended twice by the NBA for brandishing guns on two separate occasions on Instagram Live. The league forced him to sit for eight games in March before penalizing him with a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story that will be updated.
Edited by Michael Macasero
