Ja Morant in celebration controversy after another Grizzlies win

The Grizzlies are 4-0 since Ja Morant’s return and the star was named the Western Conference Player of the Week in his first stretch back from a 25-game suspension, but his celebration following a dunk Tuesday has drawn scrutiny from some observers.

With 14 seconds left in overtime and Memphis leading the Pelicans by four, Marcus Smart tossed an alley-oop to Morant, and when the 24-year-old landed he put both hands up before stretching his arms out — a move that could’ve been interpreted as using finger guns — and then moving them toward the side of his head.

Morant reposted a video on X that compiled clips of LSU football players unveiling similar dances while celebrating touchdowns, with some users suggesting perhaps Morant used it because the Grizzlies were playing in New Orleans. 

But others countered by criticizing Morant for unveiling anything that even resembled — or could’ve been confused for — finger guns, given that he’d just returned from a 25-game suspension for flashing a handgun on Instagram Live for a second time.

“The optics of ja morant own employer promoting the flashing of gun hand motions after coming back from a 25 game suspension is insane,” one user wrote on X.

The exact optics and context behind his dance remain unclear, and the Grizzlies’ team account even shared a clip on social media.