Should Ja Morant be held to a different standard, or did everyone overreact to his latest controversy?

Ja Morant dropped 36 points against the Warriors on Tuesday (April 1). It wasn’t enough to stop Steph Curry’s 52-point flamethrower, but it was another sign that Morant is still one of the league’s most electrifying players. Yet, instead of celebrating a high-stakes, high-drama game, the conversation online — and in league offices — turned into an interaction that arguably didn’t even deserve a whistle.

During a timeout, Morant and Warriors guard Buddy Hield appeared to exchange finger gun gestures. Both received technical fouls. Following an investigation by the NBA, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that league officials issued warnings to both players with “no further penalties.” “League ruled the celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature, but inappropriate and should refrain,” he wrote.

While he managed to steer clear of any heavy-handed ruling this time, it’s the latest instance in which Morant’s past seems to be casting a long shadow over the present.

Ja Morant remains under a microscope for past mistakes

To be clear, Morant hasn’t always made the best off-court decisions. He served a 25-game suspension last season for flashing a gun on social media — this came after a similar incident that led to an eight-game suspension. The league was right to act then. There were real safety concerns and messages being sent to fans and players alike.

What happened earlier this week wasn’t that. This wasn’t a gun. It wasn’t real violence. It wasn’t threatening anyone. It was an in-the-moment gesture — one that, by all accounts, Hield initiated — and one that players across the league have used in celebration or trash talk for decades.

Stephen A. Smith even weighed in, tweeting: “Come on, NBA, and the rest of us. Totally unnecessary. Let Ja Morant play in peace. Let’s not look for things... Folks are reaching now.”

And he’s right. Where was this energy when Dyson Daniels — currently with the Hawks — appeared to make a similar finger motion after a three-pointer in front of his former team, the Pelicans, in November? Daniels denied it was a “gun” motion, saying, “I was just telling them it was worth three points... pointing at them all. That’s all it was.” The league didn’t issue a fine, open an investigation or even make a public comment. Just business as usual.

When it comes to what players do, context matters — and so does grace

What’s even more telling are past examples of players who have been fined for gun-like hand signals and how the NBA responded then.

In 2017, then-Phoenix Suns rookie Josh Jackson was fined $35,000 for making what the league called a “menacing gesture” toward a heckling fan — one that “appeared to mimic pulling a trigger.” But Jackson pushed back. “That’s what most people thought I was (doing), but I actually wasn’t making a gun,” he said. “I kind of wanted to put up the middle finger to him, but I didn’t do that because I felt like I was really being watched.”

Jackson admitted he had to work on his reactions but also pointed out the double standard: Fans can say anything from the front row, and players are expected to remain composed no matter what. For one example, check out REVOLT’s breakdown of the Detroit Pistons and “Malice at the Palace” here.

Then, there’s Gerald Green. In 2015, he hit a clutch three-pointer for the Miami Heat, celebrated with a throat-slash and trigger-pulling gesture, and got slapped with a $25,000 fine. Green didn’t argue; he embraced it. “[It] cost me $25,000, might as well post it,” he captioned in an Instagram photo of the moment (per SLAM).

The difference? Neither Jackson nor Green had the kind of spotlight Morant does now. Their incidents came and went. But because of Morant’s past missteps, everything he does is magnified, dissected and judged more harshly. That’s not accountability — that’s surveillance.

Yes, Ja Morant needs to tread carefully. Still, it’s important to remember that the NBA All-Star is more than his mistakes. Off the court, he’s consistently shown up for his community. His “12 Days of Kindness” campaign spotlighted local charities during the holiday season, while his participation in Memphis’ “Meals of Hope” program helped pack 60,000 meals for families in need. In fall 2023, he surprised young athletes with his signature Nike Ja 2 sneakers, gear and plenty of advice — part of his ongoing support for youth development.

He and his family have also served as national chairs for the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia™, using their personal story to raise awareness and support maternal health. These efforts reflect someone who isn’t just trying to do better — he is doing better. And yet, instead of being recognized for that growth, every move he makes is filtered through a lens of suspicion.