A civil lawsuit linked to a 2022 altercation during a pickup basketball game at Ja Morant’s residence has led to the Memphis Grizzlies star receiving a subpoena. According to court documents acquired by ESPN, Morant, along with his parents and close friend Davonte Pack, have been summoned for testimony.
The Grizzlies opted not to provide a comment on the matter. An initial hearing is scheduled for December 11 in Shelby County, TN. Morant’s legal team intends to argue for the case’s dismissal by asserting Morant acted in self-defense. The proceedings are slated to continue at least until December 13, potentially extending for a week. Should the case proceed to trial, it is anticipated to commence in April 2024.
The incident, occurring in July 2022 during a basketball match organized by Morant, escalated after Joshua Holloway, then 17 years old, allegedly struck Morant in the chin with the basketball. Holloway accused Morant and Pack of assaulting him afterward, alleging they continued the assault while he was on the ground, resulting in a head injury.
Following the incident, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office conducted a criminal inquiry, leading to Pack’s arrest in July and subsequent misdemeanor assault charges. However, those charges were later dropped.
In addition to this altercation, Morant has been involved in various contentious incidents in recent years, including an alleged threat to a shoe salesman and multiple instances of brandishing a firearm. His first gun-related incident occurred outside a Denver strip club in March, leading to an eight-game suspension and counseling. Later, he posted another firearm-related incident on Instagram, resulting in a 25-game suspension from the NBA.
Consequently, Morant has yet to participate in games this season. His eligibility to return is set for December 19, coinciding with the Grizzlies’ match against the New Orleans Pelicans, as they strive to improve upon their 4-13 record.
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