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Grizzlies’ Ja Morant dares NBA to punish him again with grenade celebration declaration

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints | By Josue Pavon | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 12:44 PM ET

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant debuted his new grenade celebration after he was fined $75,000 for repeated finger-gun gestures. Considering Morant’s history of posting videos with a firearm on social media, the NBA took the matter very seriously, only to see Ja create a new controversial celebration after hitting a three, which was motioning a grenade into the crowd.

Morant addressed his new celebration at team shootaround on Thursday, per ESPN and the Associated Press.

“That’s my celebration now until somebody else has a problem with it, and I’ll find another one,” Morant said

Morant’s gun-pointing gestures from the Grizzlies’ 110-108 win against the Miami Heat on April 4 drew a significant fine. After acting like he was pulling a pin out of a grenade in Thursday night’s 141-125 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, there’s no word if the NBA plans to discipline Morant for his newest celebration. However, it seems he’s prepared to create a new 3-point celebratory act if that’s the case.

Grizzlies’ Ja Morant reveals truth bomb behind grenade celebration

guard Ja Morant (12) react after a foul call during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant’s gun-pointing celebration sparked reactions from media members across the NBA, including a former Grizzlies forward. FanDuel Sports’ Chandler Parsons criticized Morant’s gun-pointing celebration. After introducing the new controversial celebration in a win against the Hornets, Ja explained his reasoning via The Gary Parrish Show, per Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace.

“He described what the new celebration is, and I know he understood that the other gesture landed him in hot water again,” Wallace said of Morant. “From the league’s perspective, they warned him about that kind of thing. So now he said, ‘Listen, this is what I’m going to do,’ and these are in Ja’s words, ‘Listen, it’s not what you think it is. I’m taking my words, and I’m throwing them out there. I’m speaking Ja. I’m being Ja. I’m going to take my words, I’m going to throw them out there, and then I’m going to block out the noise. And that’s what I’m doing. So when you see me do that, that’s what I’m doing. I’m saying what I got to say to the world, and I’m blocking out the noise in the midst of what’s coming back my way. And that’s how it’s going to be.’

“I got a laugh out of him. And he said it with a serious, straight face.”

The Grizzlies will face the Nuggets on Friday.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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