Ja Morant's friend faces arrest warrant in Tennessee over the pair's alleged altercation with teen
Ja Morant's chaotic offseason continued Tuesday with news that an arrest warrant has been issued for his close friend over a 2022 altercation the pair had with a teenage basketball player at the Memphis Grizzlies star's mansion.
Davonte Pack, whom Morant has referred to as 'my brother,' has been charged with simple assault stemming from the July 2022 altercation in which a teenager says the All-Star guard and Pack punched him, the Shelby County district attorney's office said in a statement.
Online records show the warrant for Pack, 24, was issued Monday, the same day Morant's lawyers argued in civil court that the teen's lawsuit against Morant should be dismissed because he acted in self-defense after the teen threw a basketball at Morant and it hit Morant in the chin.
Morant's accuser was 17 when the lawsuit was filed. It accuses Morant and Pack of assault, reckless endangerment, abuse or neglect, and infliction of emotional distress. An amended complaint identified the plaintiff as Joshua Holloway, who is now 18.
In April, Morant filed a countersuit accusing Holloway of slander, battery and assault.
The 25-game ban for Morant was slated by The National Basketball Players' Association
Davonte Pack, friend of Grizzlies star Ja Morant, is held back by Tee Morant, Ja's dad
An amended complaint identified the plaintiff as Joshua Holloway (pictured), who is now 18
Holloway, who has committed to playing college basketball at Samford, discussed the countersuits with Memphis' WREG in April.
'When stuff comes out, I really try to ignore it because I know everybody has their opinion so I just try to stay within myself,' Holloway said.
'I'm not intimidated by anything. I trust God, God has my back. I have nothing to worry about. I'm still going to reach my goal no matter what.'
No criminal charges have been filed against Morant. Lawyers defending Morant and Pack in the lawsuit didn't immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment on the warrant.
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games when the upcoming season starts after a second video of him flashing a handgun was posted online. The video of Morant showing a gun while sitting in the passenger seat of a car was posted after he finished serving an eight-game suspension in March for a video in which he flashed a handgun in a Denver-area strip club.
Morant apologized for both incidents.
The incident allegedly took place during a pick up game at Morant's mansion outside Memphis
Ja Morant was banned for 25 games for his second pistol-waving video on social media
Morant's actions also were investigated after a January 29 incident in Memphis that he said led to Pack being banned from home games for a year.
That incident followed a game against the Indiana Pacers. The Indianapolis Star and USA Today, citing unnamed sources, reported that multiple members of the Pacers saw a red dot pointed at them, and The Athletic reported that a Pacers security guard believed the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA confirmed that unnamed individuals were banned from the arena but said its investigation found no evidence that anyone was threatened with a weapon.
Morant responded to that incident by tweeting that the reports 'paint this negative image on me and my fam. & banned my brother from home games for a year. unbelievable.' During the January 29 game, there was barking between Pacers players and friends of Morant seated along the sideline. Pack was escorted from the arena as Pacers bench players shouted in Pack's direction.
Last month, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said the 25-game suspension the NBA slapped Morant with 'was appropriate,' and it is up to Morant to change the behavior that led to two bans in four months.
The Grizzlies' vice president of basketball operations made the comments after Thursday night's NBA draft.
Kleiman said the latest incident is part of a pattern of 'problematic behavior' for Morant, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019 and the 2020 Rookie of the Year.
'At this point, it doesn't matter until he follows through,' Kleiman said. 'I couldn't care less about words. Ja has to prove it.'
Earlier this year, Morant held a pistol up on Instagram while visiting a Denver strip club
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the latest suspension June 16, and Silver made clear the guard must stop his 'alarming' habit of flashing guns on social media.
The Grizzlies suspended Morant indefinitely from team activities after the second video surfaced. The team had issued only a statement that it supported the NBA's punishment for this 'latest episode.'
Morant is due to make around $33.5 million this season. He now stands to lose just over $300,000 per game — or approximately $7.5 million. He also will have to adhere to certain conditions before being reinstated, the NBA said.
Silver said the two-time All-Star's decision-making is 'disconcerting.'
Source: Daily Mail
