Grizzlies’ Ja Morant repeats gun gesture despite NBA warning | Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant risked further action from the NBA after making a shooting gesture with his finger during Thursday’s game against the Miami Heat, despite being told to refrain from the “inappropriate” celebration.

Morant made the gesture after making a three-pointer in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ 110-108 victory over the Heat.

The league had launched an investigation earlier in the week after Morant used his finger to pull an imaginary trigger to taunt members of the Golden State Warriors during a game on Tuesday. ESPN reported that the NBA issued a warning to Morant and Golden State’s Buddy Hield before Thursday’s game after it determined their “finger gun” gestures were not intended to be violent in nature but were inappropriate and should not be repeated.

Morant, 25, has been suspended twice by the league for showing a handgun on social media. The two-time All Star was banned for eight games without pay in March 2023 for brandishing a firearm in an Instagram Live video. He was also hit with a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season after a video of him posing with a firearm surfaced online.

Morant scored 30 points in Thursday’s game, including a step-back jumper in the lane over Kel’el Ware at the buzzer to lift his team to victory.