Ja Morant’s Curious Defense to NBA’s 8-Game Suspension for Flashing a Fire Arm in Viral Video: It Wasn’t My Gun

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant told ESPN’s Jalen Rose that the gun he showed on Instagram Live was not his in his first interview since his suspension.

Morant was suspended by his team after a clip surfaced of him flashing a gun at a club in Colorado. It was reported that during the summer of 2022, he flashed a gun at a teenager after the two got into a physical altercation during a pick-up basketball game at Morant’s house.

On Wednesday’s SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, Morant sat down with Rose to discuss the meeting he had earlier that day with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who gave the Grizzlies star an additional eight games to his suspension, but he already served five of those games.

The ESPN analyst asked Morant, “what were you thinking, and whose gun were you holding?”

“I felt like I was releasing stress, and I felt like it was healthy for me,” Morant said. “Which it wasn’t. And that caused me to do some things that I know I shouldn’t have.”

“The gun wasn’t mine,” he said. “It’s not who I am. I don’t condone any type of violence, but I take full responsibility for my actions. I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes, but in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is.”

Rose brought up a reported incident that occurred after the Grizzlies’ game against the Indiana Pacers, where someone in a car allegedly pointed a red laser at Pacers team personnel. Memphis’ star guard was allegedly in the vehicle when that occurred.

“Majority of the things that’s happened in the past, obviously, I kinda put myself into by even being there,” Morant said. “The NBA investigated everything thoroughly and found no evidence of anything.”

The ESPN analyst turned to a reported incident that occurred at Morant’s sister’s high school volleyball match.

“That’s my baby sister,” Morant said. “I received a call, and I was checking on her safety. Another situation where once I found out she was safe, I left the scene. Obviously, I realized Ja showed up, and that’s all everybody really needed to paint whatever picture they want. I realize now that’s a problem, and I know I put myself in.”

Watch above via ESPN.

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