Ja Morant demonstrates why there will never be a Black "nice man with a gun."
NBA legend Allen Iverson rapped the line, "Man enough to pull a gun, be man enough to squeeze it," in his song, "40 Bars."
This occurred two weeks before Iverson would be named league MVP for the 2000–01 NBA season.
The Memphis Grizzlies' star point guard Ja Morant, who is 23 years old, was only a year old.
Morant's performance today is reminiscent of the explosive Iverson. Ja is a representative of the upcoming crop of NBA stars with his vibrantly dyed dreadlocks, contagious smile, and distinctive sneaker.
But the perceived threat of the Black gangster comes at the expense of his explosive athletic genius, which is so reminiscent of Iverson.
Morant showed off a gun at a Denver strip club in an Instagram Live video that he shared on March 4, 2023. Although Colorado allows open carry, it is against the law to do so while intoxicated.
Morant received an eight-game NBA suspension despite never having been charged with a felony for "behavior detrimental to the league."
Then, on May 14, 2023, another Instagram Live video showed Morant dancing with his companions while clutching a gun in a parked car appeared online.