Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies star guard, was defending himself when he punched a teenager, per a Tennessee judge. The incident was stemming from an altercation in 2022. ESPN’s Baxter Holmes notes the court filing and Judge Carol Cumney’s ruling on Ja Morant.
The ruling comes after a December 2023 civil immunity hearing, during which Morant testified that he was acting in self-defense. Ja Morant received a 25-game suspension for conduct deemed detrimental to the league, as a video showed him holding a firearm. Morant also had an eight-game suspension for carrying a gun at a nightclub.
Ja Morant Incident in 2022 with Teenager
![Ja Morant going for a dunk](https://totalapexsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gettyimages-1456582597-612x612-1.jpg)
Then, 17-year-old Joshua Holloway filed a lawsuit against Ja Morant in September 2022. He was accusing the start guard of assault the night of the altercation. At the December 2023 civil immunity hearing, Ja Morant testified that he “swung first” to “protect myself.”
According to Holmes, Morant said that is when he threw the punch at Holloway. Additionally, Ja Morant’s friend Davonte Pack threw a punch at Holloway, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge. However, the charge against Pack was dismissed, leading to Judge Chumney’s ruling that Ja Morant “enjoys a presumption of civil immunity” with Tennessee’s self-defense immunity statute.
Also, Holloway’s legal team has the burden of proof to show that the punch wasn’t in self-defense. Despite initially beginning later this month, the trial is expected to start at a later date. The incident came about during a pickup basketball game in 2022. Allegedly, Holloway’s growing frustration with losing games led him to allegedly throw a ball at Ja Morant’s face. Morant said that Holloway stepped toward him, leading to the punch.
Ja Morant Controversy Affecting the Team
![Ja Morant flying high for a dunk](https://totalapexsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gettyimages-1347796526-612x612-1.jpg)
Ja Morant had the lawsuit hanging over him during a muddled 2023-24 season. The Grizzlies endured 25 games without Morant due to a suspension for the firearm incident. After his return in December 2023, the two-time All-Star only played nine games. Ja Morant was averaging 25 points per game, 8.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Morant’s absence and the injury bug to other players hurt the Grizzlies this year. It was once a hopeful year for Memphis after having the second-best record in the Western Conference one season ago. The Grizzlies are 27-51, ranking 13th in the Western Conference. They recently lost 116-96 to the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.
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