Ja Morant: NBA star suspended for eight games without pay after gun incident

Ja Morant was drafted 2nd wide by the Memphis Grizzlies successful the 2019 NBA draft

Memphis Grizzlies defender Ja Morant has been suspended for 8 games without wage by the NBA aft a video showed him holding a weapon successful a Colorado nightclub.

The All-Star guard, 23, apologised pursuing the unrecorded broadcast connected his Instagram leafage connected Saturday, 4 March.

NBA brag Adam Silver said Morant's behaviour was "irresponsible, reckless and perchance precise dangerous".

He added: "It besides has superior consequences fixed his tremendous pursuing and influence, peculiarly among young fans who look up to him."

In a statement aft gathering Morant successful New York connected Wednesday, the commissioner said: "He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behaviour.

"Ja has besides made it wide to maine that helium has learned from this incidental and that helium understands his obligations and work to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA assemblage widen good beyond his play connected the court."

It is ineligible to transportation a weapon successful Colorado with immoderate exceptions, including possession portion nether the power of alcohol.

Glendale Police Department did not find capable grounds to complaint anyone for a crime.

The incidental occurred hours aft the Grizzlies mislaid 113-97 to the Denver Nuggets and Morant has not played since, portion the NBA investigated.

He has already missed 5 games, and arsenic the suspension is backdated, helium volition beryllium allowed to instrumentality against the Dallas Mavericks connected 21 March.

"Based connected the accusation obtained during the investigation, the league did not reason that the weapon astatine contented belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub oregon was displayed by him beyond a little period," an NBA connection added.

"The probe besides did not find that Morant possessed the weapon portion traveling with the squad oregon successful immoderate NBA facility, and the Colorado authorities did not find capable origin to complaint Morant with a crime."