“IG changed my life” – Ja Morant cracks up as he reveals real reason behind disliking Instagram

Ja Morant recently opened up about his gun-brandishing incidents and explained why he has grown to dislike Instagram. As a result of those livestreams left a lasting impact on him and his career. Now, Morant’s affinity toward the platform has soured.

During a recent livestream, Morant responded to a fan’s question and admitted how deeply Instagram has affected his life.

“I don’t really like IG no more, IG changed my life,” Morant said.

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The incident he was referring to took place on March 3, 2023. While at a nightclub in Colorado, Morant went live on Instagram and was seen holding a gun. That decision sparked an NBA investigation and ultimately an eight-game suspension.

Nearly two months later, on May 14, another video surfaced. This time he was on his friend’s livestream and once again flashed a gun. Because it was his second offense, the league handed down a much harsher punishment, suspending him for 25 games to start the 2023–24 season.

When he finally returned, Ja Morant managed to play just nine games. He put up strong numbers, averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. However, his season was cut short after a right shoulder injury forced him to sit out the remainder of the campaign.

Fans react as Ja Morant balmes Instagram for “changing life”

In the middle of what should have been the prime of his career, Ja Morant ended up missing a big chunk of games. Additionally, he had to forfeit a huge sum of money, starting with about $669,000 in salary when he was suspended for eight games during the 2022–2023 season. Later on, during the 2023–2024 season, a 25-game suspension cost him more than $7.6 million.

On top of that, the suspension prevented him from being eligible for the All-NBA Team. That meant losing out on an estimated $39 million in bonuses.

Fans argued, claiming that it wasn’t the platform that "changed his life," but his own decisions.

“Right, it was Instagram that was the problem. Got it 👍” @seanhalfcourt wrote.

“Hey Ja, Instagram did not force you to upload that stuff!” @redraiderman1 said.

“IG made him a thug did yall forget the time he pulled out a gun on live 😭😭” @babyfacedubs said.

“That glock changed yo life my boy had nothing to do with IG,” @Pearnivore said.

“Your lack of judgement got nothing to do with IG, brother 😭” @mat1mma wrote.

“says the dumba** that kept posting stupid sh*t . take accountability you fraud,” @apkallu222 wrote.

Even after all the humiliation, Ja Morant kept pushing boundaries with his on-court celebrations. In back-to-back games in early April, first against the Golden State Warriors and then against the Miami Heat, he pulled out the finger-gun gesture. That decision cost him another $75,000 fine from the league.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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