Morant’s fallout

The fallout continues to rain down on Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant. After a second video of him in possession of guns surfaced, the team suspended the controversial Murray State alum. In a landmark decision, Nike has even pulled Morant’s signature shoe from its app and website. This will probably trigger a buying frenzy among collectors, considering that it may take a long time before the two-time NBA All-Star’s career recovers, if at all.

One should understand, though, that guns are a more prominent part of American culture than they are in the Philippine setting. The US has a long history of military might, issues with gun laws, and racial tension involving the police. Unfortunately, the immediate solution often foisted on the public in America is to arm both sides. You can’t come empty-handed to a gunfight. Many African-American athletes who grew up in poverty grew up around guns. When they attain a certain status, they feel compelled to protect themselves in whatever way they can, which often means buying guns themselves. This is more prevalent in the US, despite the fact that school shootings and police abuse against racial minorities regularly make the headlines.

Guns are, in a warped way, considered a status symbol in America. But lack of control with guns has damaged or doomed the careers of many NBA players. In 2002, former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams was indicted on multiple charges, including aggravated manslaughter, stemming from the shooting death of a limousine driver. In 2010, Boston Celtic Delonte West was suspended after pleading guilty to weapons charges. Another former Celtic, Terrence Williams, was arrested for threatening the mother of his child with a gun 10 years ago. The Morant scandal caused former NBA player Stephen Jackson to post photos of fellow NBA retiree Chris Kaman flexing with long firearms to resurface. Jackson complains that Kaman posted these photos on more than one occasion, but was never punished by his team or the NBA. Other former NBA players like Delonte West and Darius Miles committed similar infractions with guns. On March 9 this year, retired Seattle Supersonics forward Shawn Kemp was taken into police custody in Tacoma, Washington, for allegedly firing a gun at muggers who had stolen some of his possessions. Luckily, nobody was injured. His lawyers claim self-defense.

Of course, the most outrageous abuse of gun possession belongs to former Washington Wizards All-Star Gilbert Arenas. In 2009, Agent 0 brought an unloaded weapon to the team locker room, and at one point left four handguns on a chair in the same locker room with a note urging his teammates to “pick one.” An investigation revealed that Arenas had an eye-popping arsenal of over 500 guns. After that season, he never played in the NBA again.

It’s understandable if you have a registered handgun in your home for self-defense. Some gun owners even keep the weapons in lockboxes and separate the ammunition as safety precautions. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, for example, is an avid hunter and was even spokesman for the National Rifle Association. But he’s never been involved in any run-ins with the law as far as guns are concerned.

In the Philippines, guns are associated with either police or military, or deep criminal elements. In the US, guns are ridiculously easy to acquire. This is their chicken and egg situation. If you make it harder for law-abiding citizens to get guns, then those who illegally get them will still have access. It is a constitutional right for them to own firearms. The problem is that you can’t really filter who gets the guns, or who ends up using them after purchase. For major sports leagues, the challenge is separating gun use from toxic masculinity and historical abuse, so that athletes who didn’t know better can safely move forward with or without guns.