Ja Morant Confirms Celebration vs. Pelicans Was a New Orleans Dance, Not Firing Guns
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVDecember 27, 2023
Derick Hingle/NBAE via Getty Images
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant confirmed he was performing a dance popularized in New Orleans when he celebrated after an alley-oop in Tuesday’s 116-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Morant threw down a two-handed jam to put Memphis up by six with 13.1 seconds left in overtime. His celebration left some fans believing he was mimicking the use of firearms, an odd choice for a player who received a 25-game suspension for flashing actual handguns multiple times on social media.
Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizzAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/hwVXbU5UY7
The two-time All-Star subsequently said he was having some fun by appropriating the “rock ya hips” dance that originated on the Pelicans’ home turf:
Ja Morant @JaMorantyou gotta rock ya hips 😂🕺🏽 https://t.co/A7Y6Cvxng0
LSU star Malik Nabers previously brought the “rock ya hips” to the gridiron.
CBS Sports @CBSSportsMALIK NABERS WIDE OPEN FOR SIX!@LSUFootball on top early! pic.twitter.com/ABCuSUkHZ3
Morant is certainly enjoying his return to the court. The Grizzlies have won all four games with him back in the lineup, and he’s averaging 28.8 points and 8.5 assists.
At its best, Memphis feeds off the swagger and confidence the 24-year-old exudes, and his absence was certainly glaring in that sense. The team was reeling after a 6-19 start without him, and it looked like the door to the playoffs was already closing.
With Morant once again leading the way, the Grizzlies have almost immediately transformed into a postseason contender, even if their record doesn’t yet show it.
