Ja Morant Testifies That He Punched Teen To ‘Protect Myself,’ Reenacts Altercation For Courtroom
Ja Morant – Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant recently took the stand in a civil trial amid allegations he punched a teenager at his home.
If you’re wondering what Ja Morant has been up to while serving his 25-game suspension, the answer probably won’t surprise you. One thing that’s been occupying his time is a civil trial he’s embroiled in for allegedly punching a teen in 2022.
According to NBC DFW, on Monday, Morant took the stand and admitted to striking Joshua Holloway, who was 17 at the time, at his home. He also gave the court a play-by-play of the events that led to the altercation.
NBC reports that Holloway and the NBA star were playing a pickup basketball game when the plaintiff improperly checked the ball. Reportedly, Morant took an issue with this and pushed it back to the teen, who then lunged the ball at Morant.
The ball allegedly hit Morant on the left side of his chin and both reportedly sized each other up before the teen shoulder-bumped the NBA player while pulling up his shorts with a balled-up first.
If you know anything about this behavior, a tussle was immediately on the agenda.
“I thought he was about to hit me, so I swung first,” Morant said in court explaining why he hit the teen per, NBC.
That answer however was contested by Holloway’s lawyer Rebecca Adelman.
“You could have pushed Joshua,” Adelman said, reports NBC. “You could have talked to him, you could have mentored him, you could have said, ‘Hey man, this isn’t what we do here, leave my property.’”
Adelman then asked, “Were these options for you?”
“Yes,” Morant said.
Later in her cross-examination, Adelman asked Morant if he was afraid that Holloway was going to hurt him.
“Yes,” he said.
Criminal charges were never filed against Ja, but his best friend Davonte Pack was charged with misdemeanor assault before those charges were later dropped. Both Pack and Morant are accused of assault, reckless endangerment, infliction of emotional distress, and abuse or neglect. The trial is still ongoing, and a verdict could come before the New Year.
