Ja Morant's friend banned from entering Memphis Grizzlies arena / News - Basketnews.com

Ja Morant's long-time friend Devonte Pack was banned from attending Grizzlies home games at the FedExForum for a year after he verbally abused Pacers players during and after the game. Although the Pacers believed a gun was pointed at them after the game, the NBA denied it in their report.

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Ja Morant's entourage got in trouble during Sunday, January 29th's Memphis Grizzlies home game against the Indiana Pacers. The NBA even launched an investigation into what exactly happened.

Player of the Game EFF 37 Ja Morant Points 27 Accuracy 9-21 Rebounds 10 Assists 15

During the game, Morant's long-time friend Devonte Pack directed some comments toward Pacers players amid a conflict between the teams on the court. Pack walked onto the court in the third quarter shouting at the opposing players, which forced the match's referee to stop the game and call for security to escort the man.

The incident continued after the game. Four or five men walked out of their nearby parked cars toward the Pacers bus and continued harassing the team. The verbal confrontation continue for about 15 to 20 minutes, Bob Kravitz and Sam Amick from The Athletic note.

Later on, Ja Morant joined his acquaintances and got into an SUV. A red laser was continuously pointed from the car at the players and coaches in the Pacers bus. The Pacers organization initially suspected that it was a gun.

The Pacers felt threatened and reported the incident to the NBA, which later launched an investigation into the matter.

"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," the league's spokesman Mike Bass told The Athletic.

The NBA nevertheless banned Pack from attending Grizzlies home games in the FedExForum.

"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," Bass added.

Ja Morant later took to Twitter to express his thoughts about the situation and criticized The Athletic for publishing the story.

"Did a[n] investigation seen they were cappin', [and] still let a[n] article come out to paint this negative image on me & my fam[ily] & banned my brother from home games for a year. Unbelievable," Morant tweeted.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said the issue was addressed internally.

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