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Report: NBA investigates confrontation involving Ja Morant and Indiana Pacers

Morant and members of the Pacers traveling party were reportedly involved in a confrontation in Memphis

Tony East

Report: NBA investigates confrontation involving Ja Morant and Indiana Pacers
Report: NBA investigates confrontation involving Ja Morant and Indiana Pacers /

According to a report in The Athletic penned by Bob Kravitz and Sam Amick, there was recently a confrontation between Ja Morant, Morant's acquaintances, and members of the Indiana Pacers traveling party.

The interaction took place at FedExForum after the Grizzlies beat the Pacers in late January, according to the report. It took place in a loading area, per The Athletic, and someone riding in an SUV with Morant reportedly, "trained a red laser on," someone in Indiana's traveling group.

A Pacers security guard quoted in The Athletic's story said, "That’s 100 percent a gun," when commenting on where the laser was coming from.

“NBA Security and league investigators conducted an investigation interviewing numerous eyewitnesses and reviewing video surveillance following allegations made by the Indiana Pacers organization regarding a postgame incident on Jan. 29. While we substantiated that a postgame situation arose that was confrontational, based on interviews and other evidence gathered, we could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon," NBA spokesman Mike Bass confirmed in a statement to AllPacers. "Certain individuals involved in the postgame situation and a related matter during the game that night have been subsequently banned from attending games in the arena. If additional information becomes available related to the postgame situation, the league office will conduct a further review.”

There were multiple moments during the game between the Pacers and Grizzlies where it was clear that Pacers players and Morant were jawing with each other, including Andrew Nembhard and James Johnson at different times. Videos and reports have noted that Morant's good friend Davonte Pack was involved.

Memphis Grizzlies
Jan 29, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Davonte Pack, friend of Memphis Grizzlies player Ja Morant, is held back by Tee Morant, father of Ja after a verbal altercation with Indiana Pacers players during the second half at FedExForum. Pack was escorted off the court side by security. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

"That was addressed internally. Aware of the investigation, the NBA did a full on investigation. We were fully compliant with it. I think they came out with a statement saying nothing was corroborated or found, so that's what I know and that's what I'm going to comment about," Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said earlier today, per Colin Cody of WREG News Channel 3 in Memphis.

Morant took to Twitter to respond to the report. His comments can be read in the Tweet below.

The Pacers declined to comment on the story. Center Myles Turner addressed the situation after the game.

"Me and Tyrese [Haliburton], we actually weren't present when things went down. We kind of just heard stories. So I can't really speak to things I didn't see with my own two eyes," Turner said. "I think things get blown out of proportion in reports and stuff like that, just because [of] clickbait and all of that type of stuff. I personally can't speak to what happened, but that's what we have NBA security for and team security for."

Rick Carlisle shared a similar message. "I wasn't there when that incident happened. I was in the locker room. Someone called me and I was on the way, but I missed the whole thing," Carlisle said. "The NBA investigated it and from there, I think the thing's over."

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Tony East
TONY EAST

Tony East is the Publisher of AllPacers. He has previously written for Forbes Sports, the West Indianapolis Community News, WTHR, and more while hosting the Locked On Pacers podcast.

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