Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and his new on-court celebrations have been the talk of the NBA in recent weeks.
Morant, who once served a 25-game suspension for flashing a gun during an Instagram Live video, was warned by the NBA for pointing finger guns at Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield during a game. The next night, he did it again to celebrate a three-pointer against the Miami Heat.
On Tuesday, Morant debuted a new celebration—one that appears to be him mimicking a grenade toss into the stands. Although he apparently says the celebration is him simply blocking out the outside noise, NBA legend Charles Barkley was having none of it while speaking about Morant on TNT during halftime of a game between the Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves.
"I know one person's happy right now," Barkley said. "Taylor Jenkins ain't got to deal with this crap. He's going to get another job that he deserves. [He's saying], 'I don't have to deal with this immature stuff.'"
Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley react to Ja Morant's hand grenade celebration.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 11, 2025
"He has a history that maybe he should leave the celebrations where people might die alone."
"I know one person's happy right now. Taylor Jenkins ain't got to deal with this crap." pic.twitter.com/5XBlU1YNtl
Jenkins, of course, was shockingly fired by the Grizzlies back in March.
Fellow Inside the NBA analyst Kenny Smith also noted Morant's track record with weapons.
"He has a history that maybe he should leave the celebrations where people might die alone," Smith said.
Morant and the Grizzlies entered Thursday night as the No. 6 playoff seed in the Western Conference, but they trailed the Wolves by 22 points heading into the fourth quarter. If Memphis loses, it will be in a three-way tie for sixth place with the Wolves and Warriors.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Rips Ja Morant for His New Celebration That Looks Like a Grenade Toss.
