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Ja Morant's Controversial Celebration Continues To Go Viral Among Sports

The viral "grenade" celebration coined by Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant made another appearance at the NCAA Track and Field Championships this week
Will Despart|
Apr 20, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks off the court during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Apr 20, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks off the court during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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It's no secret that Ja Morant's viral "grenade" celebration has transcended basketball, with its usage stretching from international soccer games to Major League Baseball. The most popular move in sports made another appearance in a big moment at the NCAA Track and Field Regionals this past week.

LSU high jumper Kuda Chadenga pulled the pin on the grenade after landing an NCAA East Region-leading 2.18m jump that punched his ticket to the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon in just a few short weeks.

Morant began using the the "grenade" celebration in response to the NBA fining him for repeated uses of a popular celebration that depicts shooting a high-caliber gun. The "grenade" most recently went viral just last week after Ronald Acuna Jr. broke out the move after a significant lead-off home run after a year-long injury-related absence.

While the interpretation of the celebration as a grenade toss is no doubt the driving force behind it's virality, Morant has been firm in his explanation that the celebration is not a grenade toss. Rather, he's just blocking out the noise.

"It's not what you think it is," Morant said. "I'm gonna take my words, I'm gonna throw them out there, and then I'mma block out the noise.

With the summer sports calendar starting to heat up, seeing where Morant's infamous celebration will pop up next will be interesting. Like Cristiano Ronaldo's "Siu" or Justin Jefferson's "Griddy", it's clear that Morant's 'Grenade' is here to

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Will Despart
WILL DESPART

Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the NBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.

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