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An arrest warrant was issued on Monday for Davonte Pack, a close friend of NBA star Ja Morant, in connection with an alleged altercation involving a juvenile at Morant’s residence in Eads, Tennessee, last year. According to court records, Pack, 27, is wanted for misdemeanor assault-bodily harm, as he is accused of punching Joshua Holloway, who was 17 at the time, during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s mansion on July 26, 2022.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office released a statement on Monday evening, confirming that a warrant had been obtained for Pack’s arrest. The office stated that Pack had been charged with simple assault related to the altercation that occurred at Morant’s residence. The incident involved Davonte Pack, Ja Morant, and a juvenile basketball player.
Deposition transcripts filed in court and obtained by The Washington Post revealed that Pack admitted he could have avoided the conflict with Holloway, particularly over an aggressively checked ball. Pack stated that he entered “fight mode” during the pickup game after Holloway allegedly struck Morant with the basketball. It was at this point that Morant and Pack allegedly punched the teen, causing him to fall to the ground. Pack mentioned that Holloway did not have the opportunity to retaliate during the altercation.
When questioned about the reason for his punch, Pack responded, “No, there’s really no reason.”
In a hearing held on Monday, attorneys representing both Morant and Pack presented arguments before a judge in Shelby County Circuit Court. Morant and Pack share the same attorney. The judge is expected to deliver a ruling on Wednesday regarding Morant’s motion to dismiss the teenager’s civil lawsuit against him. Morant’s attorneys claim that he acted in self-defense as Holloway intentionally struck him in the face with a basketball. They argued that Morant should be granted immunity under Tennessee’s civil version of the “Stand Your Ground” laws.
In a recent court filing, Holloway requested that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office be held in contempt, alleging that the department failed to conduct a proper investigation into his claims. He also claimed that Morant pulled out a gun after the alleged fight at Morant’s residence.
The teenager’s family initially filed a civil lawsuit in September 2022, accusing Morant and Pack of assault and battery during the pickup basketball game. However, prosecutors declined to charge Morant a month later, citing insufficient admissible evidence. The writing did not make any reference to Pack.
It is worth noting that Morant is currently serving a substantial suspension imposed by the NBA, unrelated to the alleged altercation with Holloway. On June 16, the league suspended Morant for 25 games to be served at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. This decision came after Morant appeared in a social media video wielding a firearm, which was originally posted by Davonte Pack. It was the second time in a short period that Morant was seen with a firearm in social media videos.
The suspension includes specific conditions that Morant must fulfill for reinstatement, as outlined by the NBA.
Previously, Morant received an eight-game suspension without pay following the release of the initial firearm video.
