Who is Ja Morant's friend Davonte Pack? Understanding why he is banned from FedEx Forum
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons as of late. Morant was suspended for at least two games for brandishing a firearm on his Instagram Live this week.
For years, the story around Morant has revolved around his basketball abilities. In recent months, however, Morant's off-court controversies have overshadowed his play on the court.
A common denominator in many of these situations has been Morant's best friend, Davonte Pack. Back in January, when Morant and the Grizzlies were involved in a heated mid-game confrontation with Indiana Pacers players, Pack got involved from the crowd. As a result, he was handed a year-long ban from the FedEx Forum.
After the game, when a shouting match with the Pacers traveling party resulted in a red dot sight being traced on team personnel, Pack's name was in the reports. Although there was no proof as to his involvement in the post-game incident, his ejection from the game was enough for a ban.
Memphis Grizzlies & NBA react to Ja Morant and Davonte Pack’s altercation with Pacers
League spokesman Mike Bass said that although there was a confrontation, there was no proof as to whether or not a firearm with a red dot sight was involved.
Despite that, Pack’s involvement in the mid-game altercation between the Grizzlies and the Pacers was enough for him to be hit with a ban from the FedEx Forum. A statement from Bass read:
“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.”
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins pointed out that the league investigated the matter and found no information regarding a firearm. At the time, Morant took to social media to point out that despite there being no findings, his brother, presumably Pack, had been banned from home games for a year.
Below you can see footage of Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes criticizing Morant for his recent antics.