Star guard Ja Morant visited the Kia Center in Orlando on Monday to watch his former Memphis Grizzlies teammate, Desmond Bane, put on a show against the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Morant, however, may have gone too far in his celebrations.
The two-time All-Star pulled out his infamous gun celebration when Bane hit a dagger three at the 1:16 mark of the fourth quarter to give the Orlando Magic a 92-86 lead.
Bane’s other former teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr., was also courtside. However, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year did not partake in Morant’s celebratory routine.
NBA Fans React to Ja Morant
Fans on social media felt Morant was staying true to himself with his celly.
“Shocker, Ja making guns with his hands.”
“Ja still shooting 😂😂😂”
Some fans joked that Morant was set to become the first NBA player to be banned for a sideline celebration.
“adam silver is about to send him to the gulag.”
“He still don’t learn. NBA needs to start fining him 100k and suspending him 10 games every time he makes a gun sign.”
In April 2025, Morant was fined $75,000 by the NBA for using his gun celebration during a game. Following the fine, he made headlines by debuting a “grenade-toss” celebration during a game against the Charlotte Hornets, mimicking pulling a pin, throwing an explosive into the stands and covering his ears.
Desmond Bane Thanks Ja Morant
The NBA’s firm stance on Morant’s celebratory gestures is heavily influenced by his history of firearm-related incidents. The athletic guard was suspended for eight games in March 2023 for flashing a gun at a Colorado nightclub. Then, in June 2023, he was suspended for 25 games for flashing a gun in a car on IG Live.
Bane, who led the Magic with a team-high 22 points and five made threes, thanked Morant and Jackson Jr. for making the trip to Orlando to see him in action.
“It’s special,” Bane said of his former teammates supporting him.
“Those are guys that I spent five years with, started my career with, made a lot of memories with. It’s a friendship that’ll last forever. Those are guys that mean a lot to me. I’m thankful that they pulled up to support.”
Bane and the Magic will try to close out the top-seeded Pistons in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The Pistons entered the series as overwhelming favorites after winning 60 games in the regular season for the first time since 2005-06.
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