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'NBA needs to take action': Internet furious after Ja Morant allegedly flashed gun at 17-year-old boy after punching him multiple times

NBA two-time All-Star Ja Morant is accused of punching a 17-year-old boy in the head at least 12 times after the teenager threw a basketball at him

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Fans were left baffled after reports of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant being accused of punching and pointing a gun at a 17-year-old and threatening a mall security guard to come out. One of them wrote, “I really can’t believe how corny Ja Morant has gotten, dude wanna be a gangster so bad.”

According to People, no arrests were made for the mall incident. However, Morant, a two-time All-Star, is accused of punching a 17-year-old boy 12 or 13 times in the head during a pickup basketball game at Morant's house. TMZ Sports previously reported on January 3 that the teen filed a lawsuit against Morant on September 9, 2022. According to the court documents, the 17-year-old said he "accidentally" hit Morant in the face as he threw a basketball at Morant, leading to Morant asking a bystander "Should I do it to him?" before using "a closed fist" to knock the boy to the ground. The boy claimed that Morant and a friend hit him so hard that it left a "large knot" on one side of his head, reports AOL. After knocking the boy down, Morant went into his house and returned with a gun, and pointed it at the boy.

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What does Ja Morant have to say?

As per police interviews, Morant claims he acted in self-defense after the boy threw a basketball at his head. Morant admitted "I swung first" but the boy was the aggressor, states AOL. The 23-year-old Memphis Grizzlies star also claimed that the boy shouted “I’m gonna come back and light this place up like fireworks,” and then filed a police report weeks later. Morant’s agent, Jim Tanner, said the allegations are “unsubstantiated rumors and gossip." He said, "Any and every allegation involving a firearm has been fully investigated and could not be corroborated. This includes the NBA investigation last month, in which they found no evidence,” and added, the incident with the teenage boy “was purely self-defense. Again, after this was fully investigated by law enforcement, they came to the decision not to charge Ja with any crime," reports AOL. On the other hand, the mall incident allegedly occurred after Morant’s mother got into a dispute with an employee at a Finish Line store. No charges or arrests were made.

'NBA needs to take action'

However, following the accusation, many fans were quick to react. One wrote in disbelief, "Holy, WHAT!" While another commented, "How many times does he have to be reminded he’s a blessed millionaire?" One more commented, "He’s honestly on track to spend some of his prime in prison and that would just be such a shame." While another individual said, "NBA needs to take action if this is true. So many kids idolize him and the NBA has worked to make him their new face, that's all gotta go if this stuff is true..."

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