NBA conducts investigation into postgame incident following allegations from members of Indiana Pacers traveling party
By Jacob Lev, CNN
The National Basketball Association (NBA) conducted an investigation into a postgame incident involving the Indiana Pacers traveling party following a game between the team and the Memphis Grizzlies on January 29.
The NBA said the investigation “could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with 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,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement to CNN Sunday.
“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.”
According to a report from The Athletic, acquaintances of Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant were involved in an altercation with members of the Pacers traveling party near the team’s bus in the loading area of FedExForum in Memphis, and later someone in a slow-moving SUV — which Morant was riding in — shone a red laser on them.
Two members of the Pacers traveling party told The Athletic that they did not see who shone the laser on them and did not know if the laser was attached to a gun. However, they believed it was.
Prior to the team’s game against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said the incident was “addressed internally” and that the team cooperated with the investigation.
“A worthy investigation of the NBA, they did a full-on investigation,” Jenkins said. “We were fully compliant with it, and I think they came out with a statement saying nothing was corroborated or found. So that’s what I know and that’s all my comment about.”
Morant, who was ruled out of Sunday’s game with wrist soreness, responded to the report on Twitter saying, “did a investigation seen they were cappin. still let a article come out to paint this negative image on me & my fam.”
Morant added that a relative has been banned from home games for a year.
The Pacers did not comment on the report when reached out to by CNN.
CNN has reached out to the Grizzlies and Morant’s agent for comment.
The 23-year-old Morant was recently named to his second All-Star game appearance after averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.8 assists and helping lead the Grizzlies to a 32-21 record.
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