Ja Morant criticized by Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley for new grenade celebration, but says he’ll keep doing it
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is committed to his new grenade celebration. Morant continued to use the gesture Thursday, which received criticism from the “NBA on TNT” crew.
Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith took Morant to task for the celebration — in which Morant mimed tossing a grenade into the crowd after hitting a 3 as the Timberwolves were on their way to routing the Grizzlies. Smith was the most critical, saying Morant should “leave the celebrations where people might die alone.” Barkley called the celebration “immature.”
Morant did get support from Shaquille O’Neal, who told the Grizzlies star to “pull that pin.” O’Neal then whistled and mimicked the sound of an explosion to simulate a grenade.
Morant debuted the grenade celebration Tuesday, just days after he was fined $75,000 by the NBA for repeatedly using a finger-gun gesture during games. Morant has a history with firearms. He was suspended by the NBA twice in 2023 after flashing a gun in two separate videos on social media.
That history may have played a role in Morant’s fine. In the league’s statement announcing the punishment, it said Morant’s finger-gun taunt “could be interpreted in a negative light.”
The grenade celebration could also fit into that category, but that’s not going to stop Morant. Prior to Thursday’s game, Morant said he was going to keep doing it, per the Associated Press.
“That’s my celebration now until somebody else has a problem with it, and I’ll find another one,” Morant said after Thursday’s shootaround.
Despite Morant’s attempts to provoke the NBA, it’s unclear whether the league will take action against him for the new celebration. Even if it does, it sounds like Morant is prepared to keep pushing the envelope until he’s left alone or the league starts threatening harsher punishments.
Ja Morant dares the NBA to punish him, knowing it won’t pull the trigger
Silver is the commissioner with a conscience, but one who can’t even elicit common courtesy from his league’s most reckless player. Unlike his predecessor, the late David Stern, Silver empowers foolishness and chooses to soft-parent while destructive behavior continues to undermine the basketball part of his basketball league.
On the final night of regular season basketball on the league’s broadcast partner TNT, Morant made a three-pointer — and fully understanding that the cameras would focus on him — commandeered the night’s conversation by pretending to toss a grenade. Because as everyone knows, pretending to throw a grenade is bigger and brasher than the gun celebration that the NBA finds so “inappropriate.”
In March 2023, when Morant first got caught playing with real guns, the league suspended him for eight games. Morant didn’t learn from that punishment, or he didn’t care. So in the offseason, as his friend streamed live on Instagram, he brandished another small pistol to the delight of wannabe tough guys everywhere. That time, the league bayed and bared its teeth enough to suspend Morant for more than a quarter of the season (25 games) in an effort to set straight one of its brightest stars.
Morant deserved this punishment. Not in the sense that he’s a Second Amendment enthusiast, only that he needed the guidance and tough love because he’s worth saving. He remains a rising star who has the charm and talent to become The Face of The League one day. Commissioners don’t throw away guys such as Morant. They help them, and Silver provided Morant safe landing for his return and redemption.
Silver set up the narrative, telling reporters in December 2023 how Morant complied with some vague program laid out by the league and that he and the player would soon meet personally. This gave the sense of Morant being called into the principal’s office, as though a check-in with Silver was the last step before reformation.
“In the end, I feel like it made me better,” Morant said about the lengthy suspension. “I feel like I learned some stuff about myself that I did during that process. Very eye-opening. It kind of gave me a new look on life. How I go about my days. How I carry myself.”
Morant showed no regret for his actions after the 25-game suspension; now he’s settled in this mindset that he’s been treated unjustly. Can’t a man continuously make violent gestures in front of thousands of paying customers and not have anyone talk about it?! So, with finger guns blazing, Morant is ready to take on his haters, and resist the league’s burdensome rules.
“If somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. I don’t care no more,” Morant said, before the NBA fined the multimillionaire $75,000. “I’ve pretty much been a villain for two years now.”
The NBA might ask for Morant’s wrist, but he’ll just continue to extend his thumb and index finger in the shape of the gun and aim it at the league’s impotent threats.