Ja Morant addressed his latest gun controversy for the first time late Tuesday night.
The Grizzlies superstar was seen on video with a firearm for the second time in two months over the weekend — getting him indefinitely suspended by the team as it looks into the matter further.
Morant issued an apology in his first comments since the second Instagram Live video circulated around the internet.
“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” Morant said in a statement via ESPN. “This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”
The second video was captured Saturday night and widely shared online.
Morant was in the passenger seat of a vehicle with associate Davonte Pack, appearing to display a handgun for a brief moment.
The 23-year-old attended a short rehab counseling program in Florida during his eight-game suspension following his initial incident in March — when Morant was seen in a video touting a gun at a strip club — before returning to the team.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed disappointment in this being an issue again with Morant.
“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw, this weekend, that video,” Silver said in a televised interview with ESPN before the NBA Draft Lottery. “We’re in the process of investigating it and we’ll figure out exactly what happened as best as we can. The video’s a bit grainy and all that, but I’m assuming the worst. We’ll figure out exactly what happened there.”
It’s been speculated that Morant could face a lengthy suspension this time.
“He could have injured, maimed, killed himself, someone else, with an act like that,” Silver said. “And also the acknowledgment that he’s a star. He has an incredibly huge following. And my concern — and I thought he shared with me — that millions if not tens of millions of kids globally would see him as having done something that was celebrating in a way that act of using a firearm in that fashion.”
Morant said in March that he needed to work on himself, and when the season ended a couple of weeks ago, he offered similar thoughts.
“Being disciplined on both sides, off the court making better decisions and on the court being locked in even more,” Morant said. “Being a leader of this team, it pretty much starts with me. … I’ve got to be better in that area.”
Morant’s five-year, $194 million max contract is set to begin this coming season.
He has deals with Nike and Powerade, though the sports drink company pulled an ad featuring Morant almost immediately after the March video emerged.
With Post wires.