Ja Morant Instagram gun video draws reaction from Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, more: 'It's sad'

Joe Rivera

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Ja Morant Instagram gun video draws reaction from Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, more: 'It's sad' image

Sports personalities came out hot on Ja Morant's latest controversy.

Morant found himself in hot water once again, after an Instagram Live video surfaced with the Grizzlies guard brandishing a gun while with friends. 

It's the second time that Morant has found himself at the center of a controversy involving a firearm, and both incidents just happened months apart. Morant served a short suspension in March after a video of him holding a gun in a Dallas-area nightclub hit the internet.

While Morant's discipline has been made public, the court of public opinion has plenty more to say about Morant's seeming infatuation with firearms. Several of sports' biggest commentators used their platforms to both admonish Morant and offer solid, fatherly advice to him in the process, likely in hopes to break through.

MORE: Ja Morant faces 'significant' suspension for gun video

Ja Morant gun video reaction

Here's what some of the sphere's most vocal had to say about Morant's latest issue:

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN

Ja Morant has been associated with guns more than he's been associated with winning. Think about that for a second. Because you got Nike and the signature shoe, and suddenly, Kyrie Irving ain't that big of a problem. Because Kyrie ain't harm anybody, Kyrie ain't put himself in some kind of situation where it was considered an endangerment to other human beings. Kyrie didn't do that, OK? …

The point is, it's nothing compared to what we're talking about with Ja Morant, as it pertains to the company he keeps, the kind of stuff he's got on his person, along with just an attitude that says, 'You know what? I'll say what people want to hear. I'll convince them to believe it. But at the end of the day, what am I really, really doing?' 

What Ja Morant says he wants to do. 

Michael Wilbon, ESPN

The question is: Is he going to do the work that is required of himself to get out of this, and for this not to be the end? 'Cause what's going to happen now? Nike going to pull that shoe? Is Powerade going to pull that drink?

I know in my house, I told Matthew, 'You can't have that shoe. I'm not buying that shoe. You're not buying that shoe. Our money as a family is not going toward that.' …

And by the way, I am fascinated with Ja Morant. He's so smart. We talk about intelligence — you listen to Ja Morant postgame, I mean, the engagement level and the intellect are unmistakable. But yet, this whole fake gangsta theme, which I thought we were past as a culture some years ago, I guess he's not past it, he and his. 

It's sad — it's sad.

Shannon Sharpe, 'Undisputed'

Skip, I need somebody to tell me the fascination that he has with guns, and feel that he needs to be on IG live, that people need to see him with that tool on him. What is that? Is that the only way you can listen to Youngboy NBA, Skip?

Kwame Brown, former NBA player

I've heard of NBA Youngboy, but you're NBA Dumb Boy. You got to be the dumbest mother f—er in the league. You got $231 million promised to you, and you want to be a f—ing thug?

Yeah, it's OK for you to have a gun. You have a right, a Second Amendment right, to have a gun. But what the f— do you keep pulling it out, menacing for? What is up with all this music you keep listening to? If this music is putting you in a trance, dumbass boy, 'cause this music is about to cost you your career. 

(Editor's note: You can view Brown's full, NSFW message to Morant here.)

Joe Rivera

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Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.