Keyshawn Johnson Claims Ja Morant's Gun Antics Are Getting The Attention Of 'Notable Gang Member' In Los Angeles
It's not just the entire basketball world taking notice of Ja Morant's ridiculous gun-waving antics, gang members in Los Angeles are paying attention too, according to ESPN's Keyshawn Johnson.
In March, Morant flashed a handgun while on Instagram Live inside a Denver-area strip club and was suspended for eight games. This past weekend, less than three months since his first boneheaded decision, the Memphis Grizzlies superstar was spotted on Instagram Live yet again waving around a handgun.
For a guy who not long ago signed a $194 million contract and just had his first signature shoe from Nike released, waving around a gun for the entire world to see is a patently absurd decision, which is the point Johnson made on Monday.
“A notable gang member of a certain very powerful gang here in L.A. didn’t like the fact that Ja was doing those things in some of his games, along with portraying himself, to a degree, as some sort of hip-hop street gangster growing up in the hood when he hasn’t,” Johnson said on ESPN radio.
“Those are the sort of things that I worry about because you’re aligning yourself in a position that you know nothing about at all whatsoever – zero about. That’s where I look at the team and the league and to be able to say, ‘You’ve got to get him the necessary help that he needs; serious help."
"People from the streets are kind of ticked off by his behavior because they would die to be in his shoes," he continued.
Johnson's comments were similar to rapper Bricc Baby's, who is a member of the Crips.
"He ain't f--king with the gangland like that," the rapper said in a clip. "What you wanna do, pay the Crips for the rest of your life?
Morant has been suspended from all team activities, but given that it's the offseason for Memphis, that punishment isn't exactly doing a whole lot of damage. He is, however, looking at a very lengthy suspension to start the 2023-24 campaign.