Ja Morant has filed a countersuit against the 17-year-old with whom he allegedly got into a physical altercation last year.
Police in Memphis, Tenn., were dispatched to a home on July 26 after 17-year-old Joshua Holloway said Morant and some of Morant’s friends assaulted him during a pickup basketball game at the Memphis Grizzlies star’s home. The incident report stated that the teenager threw a basketball at Morant that hit Morant in the face. Morant allegedly responded by punching Holloway, who says Morant’s friends then began to jump the high schooler while he was on the ground.
Holloway also told police that Morant confronted him while Morant had a gun in his waistband after Holloway left Morant’s home.
Police investigated the case for a month before handing it over to the district attorney’s office, which declined to prosecute. Morant has been sued over the incident, and Drew Hill of the Daily Memphian reported on Thursday that the All-Star has filed a countersuit.
Morant claims in the lawsuit that he could have suffered a career-ending injury when Holloway threw a basketball at his face. He also said the teenager lied about Morant brandishing a weapon.
The countersuit alleges that Holloway was the instigator and “balled up his fists and walked aggressively toward Mr. Morant as if to attack him.” The 17-year-old is also accused of threatening to return to Morant’s house to “light” it up.
After the incident, Morant says he received a threat on Snapchat that he believes came from Holloway.
Recent body camera footage that was released shows Holloway giving his account of the incident to police.
Morant, 23, recently served a suspension for a separate off-court issue. The Grizzlies are the the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs.
