Prosecutors won’t pursue assault charge against Ja Morant’s friend

FILE – Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) plays during the second half of Game 5 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. Morant has been suspended for the first 25 games of the upcoming season for his second known incident of displaying what appeared to be a firearm on social media, the NBA announced Friday, June 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Prosecutors will not pursue an assault charge against a close friend of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant stemming from a fight during a pickup basketball game at the player’s home last year, court records showed Tuesday.

A misdemeanor charge of assault against Davonte Pack has been dismissed, according to Shelby County court records.

Pack, whom Morant has referred to as “my brother,” was charged a year after a July 2022 altercation in which a teenager says in a lawsuit that Morant and Pack punched him during a game at the home of the Grizzlies guard.

Pack, 24, was arrested days after an arrest warrant was issued in July. In an affidavit, investigators said Pack was identified as the person who hit the teen and knocked him to the ground.

Morant’s accuser was 17 when the lawsuit was filed. It accuses Morant and Pack of assault, reckless endangerment, abuse or neglect, and infliction of emotional distress. An amended complaint identified the plaintiff as Joshua Holloway, who is now 18.

Morant’s lawyers say he was acting in self-defense after Holloway threw a basketball at Morant and it hit Morant in the chin. Morant also filed a countersuit accusing Holloway of slander, battery and assault.

No criminal charges have been filed against Morant.

The NBA suspended Morant for the first 25 games this season after a second video of him flashing a handgun was posted online.

The video of Morant showing a gun while sitting in the passenger seat of a car was posted after he finished serving an eight-game suspension in March for a video in which he flashed a handgun in a Denver-area strip club.

Morant apologized for both incidents.