In the latest announcement announced by the executive board of the American Professional Basketball League (NBA), Ja Morant will be suspended for 8 games without pay for “careless and unrestrained” behavior.

This penalty was given after the NBA completed its investigation of the Memphis Grizzlies star, who showed off a gun on a livestream on his personal page at 5:00 a.m. on March 4, US time.

In addition to the 5 matches he has sat out since the incident, Morant will have to rest 3 more matches before being able to return as early as March 20, when the Memphis Grizzlies face the Dallas Mavericks.

However, there is a high possibility that Ja Morant will not play in this match due to his lack of physical fitness. According to Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian, Ja will need a few more days to practice before officially reappearing.

Below is the announcement from the NBA regarding Ja Morant’s incident:

“A meeting was held at the NBA office in New York between Ja Morant and NBA executive committee member Mr. Adam Silver, discussing Morant’s behavior.

This disciplinary penalty is the result of a livestream in which Ja Morant held a gun while drunk in the early morning of March 4 at a nightclub in Denver. Morant will be allowed to play again on March 20 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Mr. Adam Silver added that Morant’s behavior was ” irresponsible, careless and could endanger others.” In addition, it also carries serious consequences because Morant has a very large number of followers and fans, including young children .

Over the past year, Ja Morant has been involved in many scandals off the football field including:

– Allegedly punched a teenager “12 or 13 times” according to the Washington Post. Morant claimed he was acting in self-defense. The teenager alleged that Morant kept the gun in the back of his pants as a way to intimidate him.

– A shopping center security guard said he was threatened by Morant and a few friends after Morant’s mother allegedly got into an argument with an employee at the Finish Line store. No arrests were made as a result of this incident.

– In February, the NBA confirmed that it was investigating an incident that took place in Memphis on January 29 after a game against the Indiana Pacers. Members of the Indiana delegation said they were hit by a red laser beam that was most likely from a gun. That light came from the 7-seater car carrying Ja Morant.

Highlights Ja Morant in the first half of the 2022-23 NBA season

The positive thing is that Ja Morant clearly understood that his behavior was wrong, took full responsibility for the incident and apologized to everyone involved. 

“ I apologize to your family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for disappointing you ,” Morant wrote in a statement after the video was posted.

Reputable news sites said that Morant sought help from psychological experts at Florida State, where he was completely separated from basketball. Now, he will begin the process of physical recovery so he can return to competition soon.