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As the United States grapples with the very American problem of rampant gun violence, the issue of gun safety has touched the N.B.A. through one of its brightest young stars, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, who was suspended for 25 games on Friday after recklessly waving a gun around in a social media video for a second time.<\/p>\n
Morant, 23, is a small but electrifying point guard with one of the most popular jerseys in the N.B.A. and 12.5 million followers across Twitter and Instagram. But against a backdrop of frequent mass shootings, and as he plays in a city that has struggled with gun violence, Morant has used his growing sphere of influence to model behavior that even he has acknowledged was harmful.<\/p>\n
For years, the image-conscious N.B.A. has endeavored to be seen as progressive, particularly on the fraught topic of gun violence. Many coaches and stars, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, have spoken out about gun safety. The Golden State Warriors, last season\u2019s champions, met with officials at the White House for a panel on the issue in January. Though it does not appear that Morant broke any of the league\u2019s firearms rules with his videos \u2014 he didn\u2019t bring a gun into a locker room, as two players were suspended for doing in 2010 \u2014 his carelessness has threatened to undermine the league\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cThe potential for other young people to emulate Ja\u2019s conduct is particularly concerning,\u201d N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. He added that the length of the suspension \u2014 about a third of the season \u2014 was meant to show that \u201cengaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Tamika Tremaglio, the executive director of the N.B.A. players\u2019 union, said in a statement Friday that Morant had shown remorse and that the punishment was \u201cexcessive and inappropriate.\u201d She added that the union would \u201cexplore with Ja all options and next steps.\u201d The N.B.A. said it had suspended Morant for conduct detrimental to the league.<\/p>\n
In early March, the N.B.A. suspended Morant for eight games after he live-streamed video on Instagram as he laughed and brandished a firearm in a nightclub near Denver after a game. Morant apologized<\/a> and said he had checked into a health facility in Florida to better deal with stress. Then, on May 13, one of Morant\u2019s friends streamed video of him waving a gun as he rode in a vehicle. The Grizzlies suspended him indefinitely, and Silver told ESPN he was \u201cshocked.\u201d<\/p>\n Kris Brown, the president of Brady, a nonprofit that works to curb gun violence, said she found it \u201cappropriate\u201d that the N.B.A. had taken action to penalize Morant.<\/p>\n \u201cFirearms may be a tool in some instances, but they can also kill, maim and injure other people if not handled and stored properly,\u201d Brown said. She added: \u201cPublic figures have a responsibility to be held accountable for how they engage on these kinds of life-and-death issues. It\u2019s not a small thing. People could die if they handle firearms in such a cavalier way, and they do every day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In 2015, the N.B.A. worked with Everytown for Gun Safety, a group that supports gun safety legislation, to create commercials with star players and shooting survivors discussing gun violence. The ads were timed to air during the league\u2019s marquee Christmas Day slate of games.<\/p>\n Last May, after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, N.B.A. teams in the playoffs displayed messages at their arenas asking fans to urge their political representatives to pass \u201ccommon sense\u201d gun safety legislation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But even as the N.B.A. has adopted an outwardly progressive stance on gun safety, its comments have not been in line with the actions of several of its team owners. Among others, the Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, the Knicks\u2019 James Dolan and the DeVos family, which owns the Orlando Magic, have all donated to prominent Republican politicians who have opposed tighter gun restrictions.<\/p>\n The N.B.A.\u2019s collective bargaining agreement with the players\u2019 union prohibits players from carrying firearms in any league- or team-operated facility, which includes team planes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The most significant gun-related suspension came in 2010, after Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton, who played for the Washington Wizards, threatened each other with guns in the team\u2019s locker room. (Arenas has said he was joking.) Arenas was suspended for 50 games, 12 games more than Crittenton, because he made light of the situation with gun gestures during a game while the incident was being investigated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n