Ja Morant is one of the most spectacular NBA players, with an explosiveness second to none and a set of skills that make him box office talent.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard is also one of the most controversial ballers in the league, as he has gotten in trouble multiple times, something that has affected his career.
The former Murray State University standout is one of the biggest reasons why his team is fighting for a final playoff spot as the 8th seed of the Western Conference. Memphis will play the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament, and the squad that comes up on top will face the young and feisty Houston Rockets.
Morant’s grenade celebration transcends the NBA
Unfortunately, Ja Morant is once again in the middle of a controversy for his gimmicks and celebrations. After all, he’s a big influence and a role model for many kids and young people around the world. On April 4th, he was fined $75,000 for twice making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court. Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.
The gestures were made by Ja during the Grizzlies‘110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on April 3 at Kaseya Center. And days after getting that big fine, the superstar mimicked throwing a grenade into the crowd after hitting a big three. The South Carolina native mimed pulling out a grenade’s pin, threw the artifact into the stands and covered his ears during the mock explosion.
Fans were wilding out with the celebration and some asked the league to take further action into Morant‘s behavior. What some didn’t expect was that Ja’s gesture will begin to spread all over the country, with amateur and young players imitating the baller’s moves.
Grizzlies fall to the Denver Nuggets
The Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Denver Nuggets Friday night behind Nikola Jokic‘s 34th triple-double of the season as the Serbian All-Star finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists. Guard Jamal Murray also hit several clutch shots in his return.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 24 points, and Ja Morant added 21 for the Grizzlies, who were leading by as many as 15 in the first half but watched the Nuggets chip away until closing the game on a 14-1 run over the final six minutes of the game.
After getting fined for celebrating 3-pointers with a finger guy pointed at the opponents’ bench, Ja Morant continued doing what looks like a grenade pull and lob after big buckets, although he insists it’s not what it looks like, telling ClutchPoints, “I’m taking my words and I’m throwing them out there.”
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