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Ja Morant’s entourage ‘aggressively threatened and trained a red laser believed to be from a PISTOL on the Pacers team’, following the Grizzlies’ win as the NBA investigates the incident.
Following the Grizzlies’ game with the Pacers on Jan. 29, acquaintances of Ja Morant ‘aggressively confronted’ members of the Indiana traveling party and pointed a red laser at them, according to a new report.
the athletic saying that Morant was traveling with his friend Davonte Pack and another person in an SUV when a red laser was pointed at the Pacers bus.
Two people who spoke to the publication anonymously said they believed the laser was attached to a weapon, while a nearby Indiana security guard said “that’s 100 percent a weapon.” However, it has not been confirmed if the laser was attached to a weapon.
The incident led to a league investigation and appears to have shaken those involved.
“We felt we were in grave danger,” said a person present.
Ja Morant had 27 points and 15 assists in the game, which Memphis won 112-100.
Morant’s friend Javonte Pack (red hat) was knocked off the ground in the third quarter
League spokesman Mike Bass offered the following statement to The Athletic, saying the investigation could not prove that anyone was threatened with a weapon.
NBA Security and league investigators conducted an investigation by interviewing numerous eyewitnesses and reviewing video surveillance following allegations made by the Indiana Pacers organization regarding a postgame incident on January 29. evidence gathered, we were unable to substantiate that any individual threatened others with a weapon,’ he said.
Certain individuals involved in the post-game situation and a related matter during that night’s game have subsequently been banned from attending the arena games. If additional information regarding the post-game situation becomes available, additional review will be conducted by the league office.
After the report was made public, Morant commented on the situation on his Twitter:
‘did an investigation see they were cappin’, he wrote Sunday night. ‘I still let an article come out to paint this negative picture about me and my family. & banned my brother from playing at home for a year. incredible.’
Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins also spoke about the alleged incident before the team played the Raptors on Sunday.
‘That was addressed internally. [We’re] aware of the investigation, the NBA did a full investigation, we fully complied with it, and I think they put out a statement saying nothing was corroborated or found. So that’s what I know and that’s all I’m going to comment on,” she said.
DailyMail.com has contacted the Grizzlies for comment.
The laser incident was the culmination of tensions between Morant’s entourage and the Pacers throughout the night.
During the game, Morant’s father and Pack verbally sparred with the Pacers players, and Pack came onto the court to direct expletives at the Indiana players in the third quarter, according to The Athletic.
The package was removed after a referee intervened, and security got involved.
The drama didn’t end there, as Pack and others reportedly stood within 30 feet of Pacers players and staff as they prepared to board the bus after the game and yelled at them.
Pack and others said, according to sources, “Come get some of this,” “you don’t know how we shoot,” and “I’ll show you what I got.”
The comments reportedly continued for 15 to 20 minutes before Morant entered the loading area. He, Pack, and the others split into two different vehicles.
The SUV Morant was in reportedly eventually turned into the Pacers’ bus and slowed down, at which point the alleged laser dot occurred.