Ja Morant files countersuit against Memphis teenager

The teenager who sued Ja Morant following a fight during a pickup game last summer is now facing a countersuit filed by Morant.

Ja Morant, the point guard for the Grizzlies, has lodged a countersuit against a Memphis teenager who is suing him. The two-time All-Star alleges the teen committed slander, battery, and assault during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s residence last July.

The lawsuit lodged in Shelby County Circuit Court on Wednesday night alleges that Joshua Holloway, who amended his lawsuit on March 28 after his 18th birthday, has tarnished Morant’s reputation. This has potentially put Morant in jeopardy of losing millions of dollars, both from his contract and potential endorsement deals.

When asked about his countersuit after Thursday’s practice, Morant chose not to comment. The Grizzlies, currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, are getting ready to welcome LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers starting Sunday.

Last July, the guard secured a contract for five years valued at $193 million, which entails a bonus of $38 million if he makes it to the All-NBA team this season. However, in March, the NBA suspended Morant for eight games due to his “conduct detrimental to the league”, as he had shown a firearm at a suburban club in Denver on March 4.

Morant’s countersuit points out that the lawsuit was covered nationally even though it was sealed until the revised version was filed on March 28. The lawsuit could potentially harm the guard’s relationships with sponsors, including some deals which are still in progress and yet to be finalized.

In the countersuit, Morant also charges the teen with falsifying information to the police in the initial lawsuit, and later altering his narrative in the revised version.

In the countersuit, Morant claims that he only punched Holloway once in response to being hit in the face with a basketball during a pickup game at his home on July 26. He states that the teenager approached him with “balled up” fists, prompting the Grizzlies guard to react.

Holloway’s attorneys did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment on Morant’s countersuit.

The revised lawsuit by Holloway accuses either Morant, his friend Davonte Pack, or both, of hitting him even when he was on the ground. The lawsuit also alleges that Morant gestured towards a gun on his hip as the teenager left. Holloway’s mother reportedly called the police upon his arrival home that night, as per the teenager’s lawsuit.

According to Morant’s countersuit, the Counter-Defendant knowingly made these false statements or was recklessly indifferent to the truth.

The countersuit mentions witnesses who estimated the altercation to last 10 seconds, after which Morant’s father ushered Holloway out while the Grizzlies guard remained on the court. As he was leaving, the countersuit claims that Holloway shouted that he would come back to “set [Mr. Morant’s] house ablaze like a fireworks display.”

Morant has also stated that he subsequently got a threat on Snapchat that seemed to be from Holloway. This led him and his family to report the teenager’s threats to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department on August 8. On October 27, despite having eight witnesses who submitted affidavits, the local district attorney decided not to press any charges.

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Associated Press writer Adrian Sainz contributed to this report from Memphis, Tennessee.