Grizzlies' Ja Morant out for the season with shoulder injury following suspension return

Morant was suspended for 25 games due to his social media antics with guns

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will miss the rest of the season with a serious shoulder injury, the team announced on Monday.

The Grizzlies said Morant suffered a "subluxation of his right shoulder" at a training session on Saturday. After experiencing ongoing soreness, the team said he had an MRI and it revealed he was dealing with an "underlying labral tear."

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Ja Morant vs Spurs

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum on January 02, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee.  (Justin Ford/Getty Images)

The star point guard will have season-ending surgery and is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Morant returned to the floor after a 25-game suspension for his social media antics with guns. He scored 34 points, including the game-winning in his first game back against the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Ja Morant with a sling

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts after Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns missed a free throw during the second half at Footprint Center on January 07, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

In nine games, he was averaging 25.1 points, 8.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

His suspension came as a result of multiple gun incidents, coming to a head with a second incident when he was caught on social media video holding the weapon. The first game earlier in the year, when he appeared to hold a gun in a Denver strip club, he missed eight games over that incident. He was never charged.

Ja Morant on the bench

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Phoenix.  (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Aside from the gun videos, Morant is in a legal battle stemming from a fight he got into at his house with a then-17-year-old. Four days earlier, Morant had allegedly "threatened" the head of security at a Memphis mall, and a member of Morant's group shoved him in the head. 

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Gaydos via FoxNews January 8th 2024