The praise Ja Morant was getting for making a kid cry tears of joy recently during a game has changed after he likely made another kid cry tears of pain after allegedly assaulting him.
A lawsuit was filed in September accusing the Memphis Grizzlies star of punching a 17-year-old during a pickup basketball game, according to TMZ Sports. The alleged assault occurred in July at his home.
According to the teenager, Morant hit him “with a closed fist, knocking him to the ground” and then “continued sticking him while on the ground.”
Morant’s childhood friend Davonte Pack was listed as a defendant in the suit. The altercation allegedly began after the teen threw a basketball at Morant that he said accidentally hit the Grizzlies star in the face. Morant reportedly told police it was intentional and he was acting in self-defense after the plaintiff “began to approach him as if he wanted to fight.”
Morant told police the teenager also made verbal threats against him before leaving, saying he would “light his house up.” Basically, that means he was going to shoot it up. The situation was investigated, but the district attorney declined prosecution.
The 23-year-old Morant is in his fourth NBA season. His Grizzlies squad is looked at as a title contender in a Western Conference that doesn’t have a clear favorite.
