JJ Redick Calls Out Double Standard of Wanting Harsh Punishment for Ja Morant Gun Video: ‘Mass Shooting After Mass Shooting and Nobody’s Doing a Damn Thing’

ESPN’s JJ Redick believes there’s a double standard with the crowd asking for the NBA to punish Ja Morant severely for his latest video brandishing a handgun.

After the Memphis Grizzlies star was caught on camera with a handgun for the second time in two months, the NBA immediately suspended him from all team activities. The league will determine the length of the suspension after it investigates the incident further.

Because this is the second time Morant’s been caught waving a gun around on video, it’s widely assumed the suspension will be much harsher than the eight-game suspension he received the first time. On Wednesday’s episode of First Take, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo called for a 40-game suspension.

Redick, on the other hand, took the opportunity to call out the country for the way it deals with guns.

“Look, in our country right now, gun culture is pervasive. It’s pervasive” Redick said. “We’ve got mass shooting after mass shooting and nobody’s doing a damn thing about it, so I get why we’re so sensitive to this right now.”

Redick then called out elected officials where recent mass shooting occurred.

“But there’s no consequence for (Texas Gov.) Greg Abbott telling his constituents that they should go buy more guns, and then we have mass shooting after mass shooting in Texas,” he said. “There’s no consequence for an elected Tennessee official to send out a Christmas card holding AR-15s with his young family, and then there’s a shooting in his very district. There’s no consequences to that. So why are we trying to lay down the hammer on a 23-year-old who didn’t break the law?! Explain that to me!”

Although he felt a 40-game suspension would be excessive, he still believed Morant should face significant punishment.

“I’m not condoning the behavior,” he said. “I’m not saying there should be no punishment. There should be. There should be consequences. You are the face of the league. You are representing the NBA. You are a role model to young kids. All of that. I don’t think half a season is the right answer.”

Watch above via ESPN