Photo Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been accused of violent and threatening behavior multiple times in the past year, according to newly-obtained police reports.
Morant was accused of this behavior in two separate incidents four days apart, according to Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post. Last summer, the head of security at a Memphis mall said he felt Morant “threatened” him during a parking lot altercation that also involved a group of Morant’s friends. A police report was filed by the security director, who alleged that Morant said “Let me find out what time he gets off” while leaving after the altercation, which was interpreted as a threat.
Four days later, Morant and a friend were accused of punching a teenage boy in the head during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s home. In the latter incident, the alleged victim claimed Morant went into his house and returned with a gun in the waistband of his pants.
No charges were filed, according to the Shelby County District Attorney, citing a lack of evidence. Morant’s agent issued a statement characterizing the claims as “unsubstantiated rumors and gossip are being put out by people motivated to tear Ja down and tarnish his reputation for their own financial gain,” and noted that Morant had not been charged with a crime at any point.
In the second incident, Morant was allegedly hosting a pickup game at his house, with a local high school star among the players. The teenager, who had been invited to games before and looked up to Morant, claimed Morant threw the ball hard at his chest while he was attempting to check it in. When the boy did the same to Morant, the ball allegedly hit Morant in the face, with the boy claiming it was an accident. Morant responded by asking a friend “Do I do it to him?” before punching the boy in the face.
The alleged victim said Morant hit him 12-13 times, while Morant’s friend, identified as Davonte Pack, hit him four or five times. The boy said he was left with a “large knot” on his head. After this, the boy said Morant went into the house and returned with a gun tucked into the waistband of his pants. Morant was not accused of pulling the gun, but the boy said Morant had his hand on the weapon, and that Morant’s father had urged Morant to go back into the house.
Morant did not dispute that he had punched the teenage boy in an interview with police, but said he had been acting in self-defense after the boy had thrown the ball at Morant’s head and squared up to him aggressively. Morant admitted he had thrown the first punch, but that he viewed the boy as the aggressor due to his behavior with the ball. Morant also accused the boy of threatening to “light this place up” as the boy was leaving the house, which prompted Morant to file his own police report.
These reports come less than a month after another claim that Morant was involved in an alarming incident following a January game against the Pacers. Morant’s friend Pack was accused of being involved in that incident as well, in which a member of Morant’s entourage was accused of pointing a gun at the Pacers’ team bus. Morant issued an apparent denial regarding that incident as well.
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