Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant was fined $75,000 on Friday for repeatedly making inappropriate finger gestures against the Miami Heat on Thursday. This was only one day after Morant took a similar gesture against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. The NBA had previously suggested that Morant might have a negative view of the behavior, and his decision to ignore the warnings led to a fine.
Morant’s gesture was used by him and other players as a celebration after making a three-pointer, which has attracted controversy over his past involvement in guns and has attracted attention. In 2023, Morant was suspended twice for incidents involving actual guns, including videos widely publicized in nightclubs and another Instagram live incident. These suspensions cost him a lot of his 33 games and a big part of his salary.
Despite the league’s warning, Morant repeated his gestures twice during Thursday’s game, with Memphis defeating the Heat. He also hit the game’s shot on the buzzer and scored 30 points. The NBA’s decision to be kind highlights the ongoing scrutiny around his actions as the league strives to block any action that can be interpreted as promoting violence.
After the game, Morant dismissed the criticism, saying he was used to being a “villain” and no longer cared about negative comments. His contempt for the coalition warning, coupled with the history of gun-related events, put him in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Moving forward, the Grizzlies and the NBA may continue to monitor Morant’s behavior during the rest of the season.
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