Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is currently embroiled in a legal proceeding after a punching incident with a teenager that occurred last year.
The 24-year-old dynamic guard is currently serving a league suspension for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 regular season as a punishment for two gun-flashing incidents on social media earlier this year.
This punching incident in question is unrelated to the gun-flashing controversy, and it could potentially result in additional consequences for the Grizzlies star.
Morant is nearly a week away before he becomes eligible to return to action, potentially on December 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road.
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Here are five things you need to know about Ja Morant's punching incident:
1. Ja Morant is accused of punching Joshua Holloway after a pickup game.
Morant is on trial after an alleged punching incident on then-17-year-old Joshua Holloway that occurred in July 2022 after a pickup basketball game.
During a pickup game, the two-time NBA All-Star allegedly struck the teenager in the head approximately 12 to 13 times.
The incident took place at Morant's residence, and the teenager reported to the police that the 6-foot-2 guard subsequently entered his home and reemerged with a visible gun tucked into his waistband.
2. Joshua Holloway is a college basketball player.
Holloway is a Memphis native who played high school basketball at St. George's Independent High School in the city before transferring to the famed Oak Hill Academy in Wilson, Virginia.
The 18-year-old recently committed to playing college Division I basketball with the Samford University Bulldogs.
3. Ja Morant's dunks were used against him.
During a testimony on Monday, December 11, Rebecca Adelman, the attorney representing Holloway in the case, showcased basketball highlights of Morant.
She emphasized that Morant's explosive dunks symbolically represented "the type of force that came at Holloway."
4. Ja Morant had to demonstrate a pass.
The 2022 All-NBA Second Team member had to exhibit the technique of executing a pass in front of a judge.
The punching incident originated from a hard pass from Holloway that hit Morant in the face during a check ball situation, leading to the subsequent legal proceedings.
Morant was also questioned whether his Grizzlies teammates Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. had ever delivered a hard pass to him.
In response, the former Murray State standout sought clarification on the definition of a hard pass before confirming that they indeed had.
5. Ja Morant claims that he punched Holloway in self-defense.
The 2022 NBA Most Improved Player admitted that he swung first at Holloway but subsequently asserted that it was merely an act of self-defense.
Holloway was reportedly left frustrated after multiple losses during the pickup games, and the challenging pass at Morant was the culmination of his emotions.
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