Ja Morant releases statement after NBA announces 25-game suspension for 2023-24 season

NBA star Ja Morant has been suspended for 25 games by the NBA after flashing a gun for a second time on an Instagram Live video last month.

Morant released a statement in response to the suspension, via ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski. It reads:

“I’ve had time to reflect and I realize how much hurt I’ve caused. I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman and Robert Pera — who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me — I’m sorry for the harm I’ve done. To the kids who look up to me, I’m sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I’m going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I’m going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I’m going to make it up to you, I promise.

I’m spending this offseason and my suspension continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making. I’m also going to be training so that I’m ready to go when I can be back on the court. I know my teammates are going to hold it down and I’m so sorry I won’t be out there with you at the beginning of the season.

I hope you’ll give me the chance to prove to you over time I’m a better man than what I’ve been showing you.”

Morant was recorded in the passenger seat of a friend’s car listening to NBA YoungBoy when the camera panned on Morant for a split second. That was enough time to make out the outline of a gun. The video has since been deleted by the original poster, @_dtap2 on Instagram. Screen grabs have kept the video online and it has since made its rounds on social media.

This was the second time in two months that the two-time All-Star found himself in hot water over waving a gun around on Instagram Live. Back in March, Morant filmed himself pointing a gun at his camera on Instagram Live in a nightclub in Denver. He ended up stepping away from basketball for a few weeks. Morant also enrolled himself in a Florida counseling program before returning to the court. He was suspended eight games without pay for the incident.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement following Morant’s most recent suspension. It reads in part:

“Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March… For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time.”