Ja Morant may not be on the court right now, but his presence seems to linger over the Memphis Grizzlies in more ways than one.
During Wednesday night’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane found himself at the center of a viral moment—and not just for his shooting skills.
After knocking down a three-pointer in the second quarter, Bane celebrated by mimicking the action of aiming and firing a gun in the direction of 76ers forward Caleb Martin. The gesture caught viewers’ attention and quickly spread across social media.
Take a look at the video:
It wasn’t long before Caleb Martin expressed his displeasure with the display, letting Bane know he wasn’t amused by the theatrics.
Tensions like this are part of the game, but it’s what the gesture represented that has sparked discussion, particularly when considering the context of the Grizzlies’ star player, Ja Morant.
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Morant, who is currently sidelined due to a hip injury, has unfortunately become well-known for incidents involving firearms off the court.
The explosive guard has been suspended twice by the NBA after sharing videos on social media in which he appeared to flash a gun.
Despite these suspensions, Morant’s gun-themed behavior even carried over to his on-court celebrations at times, seemingly turning what should be a lighthearted expression of emotion into a much more charged topic.
Bane’s choice of celebration seems to echo that very influence, raising questions about how much Morant’s conduct—both on and off the court—continues to shape his teammates.
Whether intentional or not, the gun-themed celebration is a reminder of the scrutiny the Grizzlies have faced over Morant’s behavior, and it’s clear that some of those actions have resonated throughout the locker room.
While emotions run high during any game, and players often use flashy celebrations to energize themselves or taunt opponents, certain choices carry heavier weight given recent controversies.
For a team that’s still trying to move past Morant’s suspensions and focus on their season, moments like these might do more harm than good, inviting criticism and unwanted distractions.
As the Grizzlies push forward in the absence of their star player, it might be time for them to reconsider the kind of culture they want to cultivate—both for themselves and for their fans.
