Former Grizzlies star slams Ja Morant for gun-themed celebration

Morant’s celebration did not sit well with retired ex-NBA forward Chandler Parsons, who played for the Grizzlies from 2016-19.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Parsons in an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” “You gotta grow up … What else has to happen for you and your family and your friends to learn? Just make this about basketball, make this about your life, make this about your livelihood, and stop doing things like this … Don’t give us any of this other bulls–t to talk about.”

You can watch Parsons’ full rant below.

Parsons is correct in that Morant, who just returned from his second NBA suspension for flashing a weapon on social media, had already been doing a good-enough job of putting all that behind him. The Grizzlies are 4-0 since Morant returned from suspension, and he is averaging 28.8 points and 8.5 assists per game over that span (including some absolutely electric highlights along the way).

Even if only for a few seconds in the thrill of competition, Morant seemingly making light of his gun issues calls into question whether he even matured at all as a result of the entire saga. A concerning report emerged over the summer about Morant’s reaction to his second suspension, and it looks maybe those concerns were warranted.