NBA probed Pacers incident reportedly involving Morant's associates
Associates of Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant aggressively confronted members of the Indiana Pacers by their team bus on Jan. 29 following the game between the two sides, sparking an NBA investigation, sources told The Athletic's Bob Kravitz and Sam Amick.
Multiple men, including Morant's longtime friend Davonte Pack, reportedly accosted Indiana's traveling party in the FedExForum loading area. Pack had been removed from a courtside seat for walking onto the court and directing expletives at Pacers players during the game.
Pack and the other men, who had been in two nearby cars, told the Pacers' traveling party "Come get some of this," "You don't know how we roll," and "I'll show you what I got," sources told Kravitz and Amick. Some Pacers players and others reportedly yelled back. Security from the NBA, arena, and Pacers then stepped in.
After Morant arrived, the men reportedly retreated to their vehicles. Morant, Pack, and another individual entered an SUV that then slowly approached the team's bus. Pacers personnel said someone in the vehicle pointed a red laser at multiple people, including players and coaches.
Members of Indiana's party said they were unsure if the laser was attached to a firearm, though a security guard for the team said it was "100% a gun," according to Kravitz and Amick. One member of the team's party said they believed they were "in grave danger."
"NBA security and league investigators conducted an investigation interviewing numerous eyewitnesses and reviewing video surveillance," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told The Athletic in a statement.
Bass added, "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.
"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."
The Grizzlies told The Athletic they complied with the league's investigation and "are abiding by its findings." Head coach Taylor Jenkins said Sunday that the matter was addressed internally.
"Aware of the investigation of the NBA. We were fully compliant with it," Jenkins said, courtesy of Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. "I think they came out with a statement saying nothing was corroborated or found. ... That's all I'm going to comment about."