Ja Morant allegedly flashes gun at strip club in Instagram video

May 2024 · 3 minute read

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Ja’s gotta gun — again.

NBA superstar Ja Morant — who was accused of flashing a handgun at a teen over the summer — was suspended at least two games after video emerged Saturday of him displaying a gun for  a second time. 

In a now-viral Instagram Live video posted at 5:19 a.m. Saturday from an unnamed strip club, the 23-year-old star  is seen shirtless and rapping along with the music, holding up a handgun with his left hand.

In a statement, Morant said he takes “full responsibility for my actions last night.”

“I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down,” he said. “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.”

The Memphis Grizzlies All-Star point guard will be “away from the team” for at least their next two games, missing  road games in Los Angeles against the Clippers Sunday against the Lakers Tuesday, the team announced Saturday afternoon.

The NBA said it is probing Morant’s latest off-court antics.

“We are aware of a social media post involving Ja Morant and are investigating,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.

Read more of The Post’s coverage on Ja Morant’s suspension

Morant deactivated his Twitter and  Instagram on Saturday afternoon.

The clip, shot hours after Morant and his Grizzlies lost 113-97 to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, is the latest in a string of  controversies involving the high-flying phenom, who was the 2019-2020 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Ja Morant appeared to flash a gun on video during an Instagram Live. Twitter DJ Akademiks @Akademiks

Morant was sued in September for clocking a 17-year-old in the face during the pickup game at his Tennessee mansion, but the NBA star has insisted it was in self-defense. On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that the late July incident could have been much worse.

The teen told detectives Morant hit him more “like 12 to 13 times” and then went into his home after the scuffle —  and returned holding the handle of a gun tucked in his waistband, the outlet reported.

“His dad was yelling at him, like: “No, no, no! Go back. Go back in the house,” the teen told cops.

Ja Morant’s video surfaced after a Washington Post story that detailed several off-court incidents. Twitter DJ Akademiks @Akademiks

Prosecutors said there was not enough evidence in that case to pursue criminal charges.
Morant filed a police report of his own on the incident, accusing the boy, a top Memphis-area basketball prospect, of threatening to return to the home and “light this place up like fireworks.”

Jim Tanner,  Morant’s agent, called the Washington Post report “irresponsible and defamatory.”

Ja Morant carries the ball up the court during Grizzlies-Nuggets Friday night. NBAE via Getty Images

Morant drew even more criticism after the Washington Post story broke when he  performed a mocking finger-gun celebration during a victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

He was also investigated by the NBA earlier this season after members of the Pacers accused associates of his of pointing a red laser at them following a confrontation in January.

The NBA said in a statement its investigation into the alleged incident with the Pacers “could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon.”

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