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Lou Williams responded firmly to a fan who suggested he should be more aware after expressing his views on Ja Morant's controversial celebration, which included gestures resembling shooting guns.
Morant showcased the celebratory move after making a wide-open dunk in overtime, helping seal the Memphis Grizzlies' 116-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. He had 31 points in the game.
While some have referred to the dance as a "NOLA dance," others have pointed out its resemblance to shooting guns.
In an appearance on “Run It Back,” Williams offered advice to the Grizzlies guard, urging him to exercise caution with his actions, considering the scrutiny he faces from the NBA world.
“It's silly at this point,” Williams said. “It's silly. Like, bro, what are you doing? Bro, stop playing with fire. We are paying attention. We are watching. ... So, you have everybody watching: The world is watching, your fans are watching, the NBA is watching.
"Don't do anything that got anything with any kind of arms, my brother, stop it."
A fan expressed disappointment in Williams for allegedly not understanding New Orleans culture, but he swiftly responded by clarifying that he is not from, nor has he ever played in, New Orleans.
Williams is from Memphis and played for six teams — the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, LA Lakers, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers and Atlanta Hawks.
“Not only did you shoot the gun, you had a bazooka ready to go, too," Williams said. "You gotta relax, man. We are watching every single little thing you do.
“You can't do this, man. You can't afford it at this point. You have no more leverage. Nobody's giving you the benefit of the doubt anymore with any of these types of things. It's going to be problematic, bro. Chill out and just keep hooping, keep winning.”
Ja Morant's suspension resulted from two separate incidents in which he was captured brandishing a gun.
The initial incident occurred in March during an Instagram Live video inside a Denver-area nightclub, leading to an eight-game suspension. The second occurrence transpired in May, as Morant was filmed inside a vehicle, resulting in a 25-game suspension that began at the start of this season.
Ja Morant wins Western Conference Player of the Week award
Before his impressive 31-point performance against the Pelicans, Ja Morant was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for leading the Grizzlies to a 3-0 record.
In his season debut following a 25-game suspension, Morant showed no rust as he scored 34 points, which included a game-winning floater at the buzzer against the Pelicans.
He continued his stellar play by recording his first double-double of the season on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks, amassing 30 points and 11 assists.
Guess the Lakers players!
