Ja Morant – Source: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty
A judge has ruled that Ja Morant acted in self-defense when he punched a teen at his house during a pickup basketball game.
Ja Morant has faced several setbacks in his NBA career in the last 18 months, the biggest being his return from a 25-game suspension only to have a season-ending shoulder injury weeks later.
Now, ESPN reports that Morant finally has some good news on his plate.
On Monday, April 8, a Tennessee judge ruled in favor of Morant stating that he fairly acted in self-defense when he punched a teen in his Memphis home.
The ordeal allegedly happened in July of 2022, but Morant didn’t receive his chance to testify until December 2023.
“We’re disappointed, and we will continue to take the steps necessary to protect and advocate for Joshua,” Rebecca Adelman, the teen’s attorney told ESPN.
Joshua Holloway, who was 17 at the time, alleged Morant hit him after he accidentally hit him in the face with a basketball. He then filed a September 2022 lawsuit against the star.
Morant, however, painted a different picture in court, according to CBS Sports.
Ja alleged that the teen was upset after losing several games and launched the ball at him.
Morant’s friend Davonte Pack allegedly also struck the teen and was arrested on assault charges that were later dropped.
