NBA Bans Unnamed Associates of Superstar Ja Morant from Games After Laser Incident

In interviews, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant comes off as unassuming and friendly.

Not so much for some of his friends.

Morant tweeted Sunday that one of his friends has been banned from games at FedExForum for a year after a confrontation took place on January 29 between his supporters and members of the Indiana Pacers team.

Specifically, several Pacers, while standing outside the arena, witnessed a red dot pointed at them. The red dot was a laser, which in some cases can be attached to a weapon.

“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,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in an emailed statement to the media.

“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’ statement continued.

This was not the first time Morant’s friends were in the news.

Morant’s friend, Trent Forrest, was banned from NBA games because of his actions during a game between the Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers on January 15. Forrest, who was sitting courtside, got into a verbal altercation with Lakers player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and it escalated into a physical altercation that involved pushing and shoving. The NBA conducted an investigation and deemed Forrest’s actions to be “unacceptable” resulting in a ban from attending NBA games.