Ja Morant punches kid: Latest judgement on Grizzlies star's assault lawsuit explored
Over the past year, Ja Morant has been caught up in multiple off-court scandals. Recent developments have emerged regarding the fight that broke out with a teenager at his home.
Back in December, Morant testified in court about what happend that day. He stated that he was operating under self-defense after the 17-year-old threw a basketball at his head and aggresively approached him. The altercation arose following multiple pick-up games that had been played at Morant's home that day.
On Tuesday afternoon, ESPN's Baxter Holmes provided the latest regarding Ja Morant's court case. The judge ended up ruling in favor of the Memphis Grizzlies star, stating that he was acting in self defense during this scuffle.
After quickly emerging into one of the NBA's top young stars the past few years, things got off the rails for Ja Morant in 2024. He began the regular season on a 25-game suspension after waiving a firearm while live on social media.
Morant would eventually debut in December, but his time on the court was short-lived. The All-Star guard played in just nine games before suffering a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
Without their star player, the Grizzlies are on track to finish with the third-worst record in the Western Conference.
When will Ja Morant be back in action for the Memphis Grizzlies?
A few weeks after he was sidelined for the rest of the 2024 season, the Memphis Grizzlies provided an update on their franchise star. He under successful surgery in January and is expected to be fully recovered before the start of next season.
This was a year to forget for Morant, but now he and the Grizzlies have a chance to get back on track. They still have a promising young core with Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Plus, due to their sturggles this season, they'll likely have a high lottery pick in the draft as well.
Before getting hurt this year, Ja Morant was still playing at a high level. In the nine game he appeared in, he averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists.
With all the off-court distractions behind him, Morant can get back on his path to superstardom. He'll be 25-years-old by the time he plays again, knocking on the door of his prime. Memphis has the pieces to be a top team in the Western Conference, but they need their top player on the floor.
In 2023, the Grizzlies won 51 games and finished in second place in the Western Conference. Armed with a returning Morant and a lottery pick this summer, they'll be looking to get back to the top of the standings in 2025. With practically a full year to step away and regroup, Morant has a prime opportunity to get his career trending in the right direction again.