An arrest warrant was issued Monday for a close friend of Ja Morant, according to court records, stemming from an alleged altercation with a juvenile at the NBA star’s home in Eads, Tenn., last year.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, Davonte Pack, 27, is wanted for misdemeanor assault-bodily harm for allegedly punching the teenager, Joshua Holloway, who was 17 at the time, during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s mansion in Eads last July 26.
“The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for the arrest of Davonte Pack, who has been charged with simple assault in relation to the July 2022 altercation involving Mr. Pack, Memphis Grizzlies basketball player Ja Morant, and a juvenile basketball player at Mr. Morant’s residence in Eads,” the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Monday evening.
In deposition transcripts filed in court and obtained by The Washington Post, Pack acknowledged he could have “avoid[ed] the conflict with Holloway over an aggressively checked ball.”
Pack said he went into “fight mode” during the pickup game after Holloway allegedly hit Morant with the basketball — which is when Morant and Pack punched the teen to the ground.
Holloway never “got a chance” to throw his own punch in the altercation, Pack added.
When asked if there was a reason he punched Holloway, Pack responded with: “No, there’s really no reason.”
In a Monday hearing, a judge in Shelby County Circuit Court heard from attorneys on both sides — Morant and Pack share the same attorney — and is expected to rule Wednesday on Morant’s motion to have the teenager’s civil lawsuit against him dismissed, according to The Washington Post.
Morant’s attorneys said claimed Morant “acted in self-defense” after Holloway “intentionally struck him in the face with a basketball.”
Morant’s attorneys argued the NBA player had immunity under Tennessee’s civil version of the “Stand Your Ground” laws.
In another court filing last month, Holloway asked to find the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in contempt, claiming the department did not properly investigate his claims — and that Morant pulled a gun on him after the alleged fight at Morant’s home.
The teen’s family originally filed a civil lawsuit in September 2022 accusing Morant and Pack of assault and battery during the pickup game.
A month later, prosecutors declined to charge Morant, writing that there was “not sufficient admissible evidence.” That writing did not refer to Pack.
Morant is currently serving a hefty suspension by the NBA for an incident unrelated to the alleged altercation with Holloway.
On June 16, the NBA handed Morant a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season after he wielded a firearm in a social media video, which was originally posted by Pack.
It marked the second time in a matter of months that Morant was seen brandishing a firearm on social media.
The suspension includes conditions he must meet for his reinstatement, the league said.
Morant previously served an eight-game suspension without pay following the release of the first firearm video.
