Angel Reese has suggested that Ja Morant is being treated unfairly over his alleged “gun” celebration – with the LSU basketball star apparently drawing comparisons to the fallout from her taunting of Caitlin Clark.
Morant got into trouble last month, just a week after returning from a 25-game suspension for displaying a firearm for the second time.
The Grizzlies star celebrated a dunk by extending both arms and appearing to pull the trigger before moving his hands toward his head – as if he were holding something on his shoulder.
The 24-year-old reposted a tweet in which he claimed he was imitating LSU players who made a similar celebration after a touchdown.
But many social media users saw this as Morant pointing a gun toward the crowd.
Ja Morant celebrated a dunk by extending his arms and appearing as if he was pulling a trigger
The guard then moved his hands towards his head – as if he was holding something on his shoulder
There was less controversy when Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers performed the same celebration during the Longhorns' loss to the Washington Huskies on New Year's Day.
When a media outlet's coverage of the two celebrations was pointed out, Reese tweeted, “Lol I've seen this before…”
It was an obvious reference to her own treatment after the NCAA championship game in April when Reese waved her hand in front of her face as she stared at Clark, then pointed at her finger as if to say a ring was on the way , while she headed toward the Iowa star.
Reese didn't apologize afterward despite backlash and later expressed her “frustration” that her celebration overshadowed LSU's win over Iowa.
“One day we'll go down in the history books, so it's bigger than me. “I'm so happy we won the championship. “I wish it was talked about more,” she said.
Angel Reese waved her hand in front of her face as she stared at Caitlin Clark
“As much as they talked about the Caitlin situation… because we worked just as hard. “We put a lot of sweat and tears into this championship and people don't realize that. It's the best of both worlds.
“I’m glad the situation happened, but at the same time I’m a national champion and I’m getting a ring.”
Morant, meanwhile, was punished twice for being caught on camera with a gun. He was suspended for eight games last season — for a social media clip at a strip club — and then again for the first 25 games of this season for an Instagram Live video while sitting in a car.
Morant returned to court on December 19th.