Written By: Sam Abraham
Ja Morant was seen flashing a gun in a social media post. He is a professional basketball player for Memphis Grizzlies and is a superstar in the league. Regardless of such stature, his suspension will be announced once the NBA finals are over, by Adam Silver, Commissioner of the
. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Ja Morant in the news involving a firearm. This recent revelation has sent shockwaves throughout the NBA and fans. It also raises questions about the responsibility athletes have off the court and to the team. In this article, we will explore the different viewpoints and perspectives of NBA fans on the gun incident and will discuss if the suspension is required or not.
As an enthusiast of the game, Subin Abraham sheds some light into the situation. He begins by expressing his disappointment upon hearing of Ja Morants situation. He says “Athletes in the public eye should serve as role models to their fans and to those who look up to them and should be making responsible decisions.” He believes that his situation is a letdown due to the potential greatness he can achieve because of his excellent basketball skills. He is being compared to players like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Lebron James. Analysts are saying that if he stays out of trouble
, he can end up being one of the best players the league has ever seen. This season he went up against the Lakers and Lebron James in the first round of the playoffs and had a similar situation arise during the series. He was seen flashing a gun on an Instagram live story alongside members of a street gang. Although no punishment was imparted on him by Adam Silver, his organization gave him a 2 game suspension as well as mandatory behavioral classes. He also admitted himself into a rehab facility claiming that he was addicted to alcohol. This time around Adam Silver does not seem willing to give Ja Morant a second chance and sais in a press conference that he will be announcing his punishment after the NBA finals. League sources such as Adrian Wojnarski claim his suspension will tally up to about 40 regular season games.
Upon talking to another sports enthusiast, he believes that Ja Morant should not face any type of league suspension or punishment. Like many sports analysts, Josh believes that since he has not committed a crime and did not have the gun in league facilities, he should not face any punishment. He compared his situation to the one Gilbert Arenas faced in 2005 and ended up being suspended for 50 games. However, he says Gilbert Arenas suspension was warranted because he had a gun in league facilities but Ja did not and he did not receive any charges for this incident. Furthermore, he does understand that players should conduct themselves with a level of responsibility to the team and themselves. Ja will not get paid for the games he is suspended and will also not be eligible to be in the All NBA teams, an honor that can land you a supermax contract. Ja morant is capable of receiving such stature as he has just made 1st team All NBA this season. With the new league rules, you must have played in at least 65 games which makes him ineligible for next season.
Demarcus smith has his own YouTube channel where he is known as a sports analyst. He predicts that his public image and career will suffer because of this incident. They are a number of players whose reputations have been tarnished. To name a few, Gilbert Arenas, Demarcus Cousins, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. These players have been through these situations and have reached out to Ja Morant concerning the situation and have given advice on how to proceed. Furthermore, Smith talks about the importance of establishing league wide policies and guidelines in regards to on and off court behavior which includes the possession of a weapon or firearm. He also says that the league should have resources and specific programs for athletes to provide them with the necessary tools to allow them to make responsible choices and to understand the consequences behind their actions. Ja Morant must learn from his mistakes and the league must discipline him and suspension is the right decision in the long run.
They were a lot of lessons learned from this incident that will lead teams to incorporate programs, mentorship and support systems for the players. These programs must equip athletes with the necessary resources in developing athletes on and off the court. By creating an atmosphere of responsibility for players, teams can create an environment for their players to thrive and succeed on and off the court.