As he prepares to return to the NBA court following his 25-game suspension for twice flashing a gun, superstar Ja Morant took the stand in a separate case stemming from punching a teen in his backyard.
Morant admitted in the Shelby County Court in Memphis, Tenn., that he punched Joshua Holloway — who was 17 at the time — in order “to protect myself” after an argument erupted during a game on his own basketball court.
According to ESPN, the exchange between Morant on the stand and Rebecca Adelman, Holloway’s attorney, was decidedly terse. Morant claims that Holloway, frustrated by losing several pickup games, threw the ball at Morant out of frustration.
“You testified that this basketball was a weapon, yes?” Morant was asked.
“Yes,” Morant responded.
“A lethal weapon?” Adelman asked.
“It hurt,” Morant retorted.
After being hit by the basketball, Morant recalled that he said, “What you on?” He added that Holloway did not answer the question, but he did pull up his shorts.
“Him pulling up his shorts, where I’m from, that’s a fighting stance,” Morant said. He added that Holloway took a step towards him, at which time Morant said he punched him. A friend of Morant also punched Holloway during the fracas.
According to ESPN, the attorneys for Morant filed to have the lawsuit dismissed since the Memphis Grizzlies point guard was defending himself.
The proceedings are scheduled to continue on Tuesday, Dec. 12 with Morant’s father, Tee, taking the stand.
Morant is expected to make his long-awaited return to the Grizzlies on Dec. 19 in New Orleans, nearly two months after the start of the season. He was suspended for eight games when he flashed a handgun inside a Denver strip club in 2022. After promising NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that he would not exhibit such behavior again, he was caught flashing a gun again while riding shotgun in his friend’s car. The second infraction resulted in a harsher penalty to starting the season.
