Ja Morant Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
NBABy Sean Keeley on

While he deals with the fallout from the many scandals surrounding him off the court, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has pushed back against an accuser.

Morant filed a countersuit against the Memphis teenager who sued the two-time All-Star on Wednesday.

Morant accused the teen of slander, battery, and assault over a pickup basketball game that took place at Morant’s home last July.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Shelby County Circuit Court, accuses Joshua Holloway of “damaging Morant’s reputation and putting him at risk of losing millions of dollars both in his contract and in potential endorsement deals,” according to the AP.

TMZ Sports reports that Morant acknowledges that an altercation between the two did happen at the July 26 game in question, but while Holloway says that the NBA star was the instigator, Morant says it was the other way around.

Per the documents, Morant said that after things “got heated” during the game, Holloway intentionally threw a basketball at his face. The teen then, per Morant, “balled up his fists and walked aggressively” toward the NBA star “as if to attack him.”

Morant also accuses the teen of lying to police and changing his story in an amended version of the initial lawsuit.

“These statements were false, and Counter-Defendant had actual knowledge of their falsehood or had reckless disregard for the truth,” reads Morant’s countersuit.

Morant, who signed a five-year, $193 million contract last July that includes a $38 million bonus after making the All-NBA team this year, is asking for unspecified damages.

[AP/TMZ]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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