Ja Morant Countersues Accuser For Slander, Assault & Battery

Ja Morant is countersuing {the teenager} who says he was assaulted by the NBA star … claiming the man is mendacity about their July 2022 pickup basketball altercation — alleging he is the one who was truly threatened throughout the incident.

The Memphis Grizzlies level guard spelled out his claims in new court docket paperwork that had been filed in Shelby County, TN on Wednesday night time.

Within the docs, obtained by TMZ Sports activities, Morant acknowledged getting right into a tiff with H.S. basketball star Joshua Holloway throughout the July 26 recreation at his dwelling in Memphis, however says Holloway was the aggressor within the scenario.

Morant says after issues “bought heated” throughout the recreation, Holloway deliberately threw a basketball at Morant’s face. The teenager then, in response to Morant, “balled up his fists and walked aggressively” towards the NBA star “as if to assault him.”

Morant stated within the docs he did hit the boy, however claimed it was self-defense. He added that following an ensuing skirmish, Holloway yelled that he would come again to Morant’s home and lightweight it up “like a firework present.”

Morant says he — and different witnesses on the scene — took that as “a risk to make use of a gun.”

However, within the countersuit, Morant says Holloway then went to cops and lied to them concerning the scenario, telling officers he was the sufferer. Morant says the boy additionally falsely instructed the cops Morant had a gun on his individual following the altercation.

Morant stated within the docs that after the boy’s fabricated story grew to become public by means of the media, it prompted him ridicule and humiliation.

Morant is now countersuing Holloway for slander, battery and assault. He is asking for unspecified damages.

As we beforehand reported, Holloway sued Morant over the incident in September — claiming the two-time All-Star and one in every of his good mates roughed him up within the confrontation on the pickup recreation.