The Memphis Grizzlies suspended superstar Ja Morant on Sunday, pending an NBA investigation. It came as a result of, for the second time in 2023, Morant appearing on Instagram Live with a gun. The first time occurred in March at a Denver nightclub. That incident led to an eight-game suspension for Morant. The second, which went viral on social on May 13, appeared to occur while Morant was cruising with longtime friend Davonte Pack. Morant has since released a statement about the incident.
The NBA world, and beyond, has reacted to the news of Morant’s suspension. While he has had support in one form or another from the likes of JJ Redick and BlocBoy JB, many of the reactions have been negative. Stephen Jackson called him a “moron” while Stephen A. Smith said that Morant is “more associated with guns than he is with winning.” Meanwhile, Kwame Brown called him the “stupidest mfer in the league.”
Vic Mensa Hopes Morant Overcomes
The latest figure to share their take on the situation is rapper Vic Mensa, who was interviewed by TMZ in New York. Mensa’s take focused more on supporting Morant than actively discussing the situation. “I think God blessed Ja Morant, man,” Mensa told TMZ. “I pray that that brother gets it together and he figures it out because he’s too brilliant and so talented. He’s got a gift, he’s got a real gift. So, I don’t want to see him have to go down that path because he’s so good. I think God blessed him,” he continued. “I’m not gonna say anything to disparage him. There’s enough people doing that.”
It’s unclear how severely Morant will be punished for this latest incident. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he was “shocked” by the video, and expressed disappointment over Morant’s relapse into such behavior. However, the NBA will have to find a way to show their stance on the issue while also acknowledging that they are a business and Morant is a major revenue draw. Fans have called for everything from no punishment to a full-season suspension. However, this is a developing story and any updates will be found here on HotNewHipHop.
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