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Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's exploits unfortunately aren't going out of the news cycle anytime soon.
New details have emerged of his alleged summer incident where he beat up a 17-year-old during a pick-up basketball game.
According to The Washington Post, the 17-year-old — Joshua Holloway — proceeded to file a report alleging that Morant and a friend repeatedly punched him in the head and knocked him to the ground during a game played at Morant's home.
Two deputies from the Shelby County (Tenn.) Sheriff’s Office visited Holloway to then learn the alleged perpetrator was none other than Morant.
“You talking about, like, basketball player Ja Morant?” Patrolman Gregory Stratman said, according to body-cam footage obtained by The Washington Post. “Like, Memphis Grizzly Ja Morant?”
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Instead, word of the case was not reported in the media for half a year with Morant — arguably the most famous man in Memphis — not being interviewed by detectives until six weeks after the police report.
Detectives also avoided asking the Grizzlies guard key questions and by October, the case was quietly shelved by prosecutors citing a lack of evidence following an investigation. That investigation notably did not involve a single witness being interviewed about Holloway's allegation nor was Morant's friend identified.
According to Holloway, Morant started beating him up after he threw a ball that slipped through Morant’s hands and hit him in the chin. The teenager proceeded to file suit against Morant and his friend, now identified as Davonte Pack, in September.
Morant and Pack's lawyers, meanwhile, claim the lawsuit is a “shakedown” by Holloway's mother who was initially asking for $11 million to settle. Morant has claimed self defense and one of the duo's attorneys claim witnesses and signed affidavits also refute Holloway’s allegations.
“More than 20 people were present at the incident. We have spoken with all of them,” attorney Keenan Carter told The Post. “None of them supports [Holloway’s] version of what transpired that evening.”
Regardless of how the lawsuit plays out, all in all, this is not a good look for Morant — especially given the plethora of other incidents he has been involved in recently.
