"More punishment than Jaxson Hayes beating his girlfriend": Fans erupt as NBA hits Ja Morant with $75K fine for 'inappropriate' gun gestures

By Kevin McCormick

Modified Apr 04, 2025 16:57 GMT

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans - Source: Imagn — Fans erupt as NBA hits Ja Morant with $75K fine (Source: Imagn)

NBA fans have broken out into an uproar following the latest news on Ja Morant. A few nights removed from receiving a warning for using gun gestures in-game, the Memphis Grizzlies star has been fined $75,000.

The initial warning came following the Grizzlies' matchup with the Golden State Warriors, where Morant and Buddy Hield were seen doing such gestures. A few nights later, Morant pulled them out again during Memphis' last-second win over the Miami Heat.

Amid his second offense in a week span, the league decided to fine the All-Star guard. Following this shocking news, NBA fans flooded social media with an array of reactions.

The primary uproar from fans is that players across the league do similar celebrations. However, Ja Morant is the only one getting singled out and punished for doing so.

Morant being the one to face repercussions likely stems from his off-court doings last year when he was spotted live on social media holding a firearm.

Jay Williams has subtle response to Ja Morant being fined for gun gesture

It did not take long for people to start rushing to the defense of Ja Morant after news emerged that he was being fined for using gun gestures in games. One former player turned analyst took to social media with a subtle response to how outrageous this punishment is.

As countless fans stated, the biggest issue with Morant being fined is that countless players around the league do the same thing. The Grizzlies star wasn't even the only player to do a gun-style celebration that night.

Shortly after the reports emerged of Ja Morant's fine, Jay Williams posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) from the LA Lakers' matchup with the Denver Nuggets from two weeks ago. Not only did rookie Dalton Knecht aim a gun gesture at Aaron Gordon, but the team posted a photo of him doing so on their official Instagram account.

It's abundantly clear that players across all 30 teams do celebrations like this on a nightly basis. While Morant was issued a warning by the league office, it's clear he's being singled out in this instance.

After doing the gesture again following the warning, many eyes will be on the star guard to see how he responds following this fine.

About the author

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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