It seems Ja Morant just can’t stay out of the headlines. Just two nights ago, Morant caught attention after flashing g– fingers toward the Golden State Warriors. While the gesture wasn’t exactly hostile, it was enough to raise eyebrows, especially given his troubled history with firearms. Instead of steering clear of controversy, Morant doubled down by doing the same gesture in the very next game against the Miami Heat.
If that wasn’t enough, the NBA quickly stepped in. Morant and Buddy Hield had exchanged the rifle gesture during the Grizzlies-Warriors game, which led the league to open an investigation—one that’s directly tied to Morant’s past. In 2023, he was suspended for 33 games after being seen brandishing a firearm in two separate social media videos. However, this time around, both he and Hield were warned but managed to escape any fines.
Fast forward to the recent game, and Morant was back at it again. After sinking a three-pointer in the first quarter against Miami, he repeated the same rifle gesture. Naturally, the moment went viral, leaving many questioning why he would push the league’s patience so soon after being warned. The timing alone makes it a baffling move, but NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal had his own perspective on the situation.
“Because of his past discrepancies, he should not be doing that,” Shaq said on NBA on TNT. “However, it’s a gesture that a lot of people do. Does he know better? Yes, but I’m not going to go into it. He’s this, he’s that. Buddy Hield did it. A lot of other people do it. I see people at AAU games do it. It’s just one of those NBA ebonic gestures. People used to do that back in the day.”
While Shaquille O’Neal attributes Ja Morant’s gesture to a common ‘NBA ebonic gesture,’ the cultural origins of the movement extend beyond the basketball court. The gesture, often seen in hip-hop and street culture, can symbolize a variety of things, from power to celebration. However, in the context of Morant’s past firearm incidents, the gesture takes on a more ominous tone. Sociologists suggest that the gesture’s interpretation is heavily influenced by the viewer’s background and cultural understanding, highlighting the complexities of communication in a diverse league like the NBA.
Ja Morant (Image Credit: IMAGN)
Still, Shaq acknowledged that Ja Morant’s past changes how people view the situation. “It’s just a gesture that we sometimes use,” he admitted. “But because of his past discrepancies, he should not be doing that. Because my question is, if he didn’t have those two incidents and he did that, would we be talking about it? The answer is no, we would not be talking about it.”
Ja Morant doesn’t care about consequences
After his celebration against the Golden State Warriors, Shannon Sharpe had some words of advice for Ja Morant. “Ja just got to be smarter,” Sharpe said on Night Cap. “I get that he’s young, but bro, they done took some money from you. I ain’t trying to give y’all no more money. … At one point in time, they thought he could be the face of the league. And now they talking about can they win with Ja.”
While Sharpe’s words were a reality check, Morant doesn’t seem too bothered. Shortly after the NBA opened an investigation into his gun-like gesture toward the Warriors’ bench, he took to social media with a carefree response.
“ja this .. ja that ..” he wrote with a crying-laughing emoji, followed by “God bless yall” with prayer hands. Clearly, the Grizzlies star isn’t losing sleep over the league’s scrutiny.
Since the controversy erupted, fans have been quick to point out that Morant isn’t the only one who has done this celebration. Old footage has surfaced, showing other NBA stars—including LeBron James—pulling off the same move.
But with the Grizzlies struggling to keep their season alive in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, this is the last kind of distraction they need. If this ends with Morant getting suspended, he’ll only have himself to blame.
The post Shaquille O’Neal Feels Ja Morant Doesn’t Have Freedom as Grizzlies Star Disregards NBA’s Warnings appeared first on EssentiallySports.
