In the aftermath of Ja Morant's second known social media incident involving the brandishment of a gun, the NBA handed down a 25-game suspension to the All-Star earlier this offseason. The first incident resulted in an eight-game suspension in March.
On Friday, June 16, the league announced that Morant was being suspended "for conduct detrimental to the league" as he posed with a firearm in a video streamed to Instagram Live. Within the NBA's statement are these findings from an investigation: "The league office found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis."
One of the individuals present appeared to be Davonte Pack, who is associated with the Instagram account that posted the live video.
Who is Davonte Pack? Here is what we know about Morant's longtime friend that has been in the news a number of times during the past few months.
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Who is Davonte Pack?
Davonte Pack is a lifelong friend of Ja Morant.
Like Morant, Pack is a native of Sumter, S.C., and graduated from high school in 2017. In their younger years, the two played AAU basketball together for the South Carolina Hornets alongside current Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.
In the now-famous photo of their AAU team, Pack can be spotted to the left of Morant and Williamson, wearing what appears to be a No. 7 jersey.
Never forget Zion Williamson and Ja Morant played on the same AAU team, the South Carolina Hornets, for one summer. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/1OwgsSDCih
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) March 23, 2019
Pack is also the founder of the brand "MBNO," which stands for "My Brothers, No Others." Morant has been seen wearing the brand to games.
MORE: Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon react to Ja Morant Instagram gun video
Davonte Pack arrest
On July 10, The Daily Memphian reported that the Shelby County Sheriff's Office had issued a warrant for Pack's arrest.
"The Shelby County Sheriff's Office obtained a warrant for the arrest of Davonte Pack, who has been charged with simple assault in relation to the July 2022 altercation involving Mr. Pack, Memphis Grizzlies basketball player Ja Morant, and a juvenile basketball player at Mr. Morant's residence in Eads," the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said in a statement.
On July 19, Memphis' Action News 5 was among a number of outlets to report that Pack had been arrested on misdemeanor assault charges in connection with the incident.
Pack, alongside Morant, is a co-defendant in the civil case filed by teenager Joshua Holloway, who accused the pair of punching him during a pick-up basketball game at Morant's house.
The warrant charges Pack with misdemeanor assault with intent to do bodily harm. The Shelby County District Attorney did not prosecute Morant over the incident due to a lack of evidence.
In an arrest affidavit obtained by Action News 5, Pack said that he "did not feel threatened" by the juvenile basketball player. According to Action News 5 reporter Joyce Peterson, the case will go to trial in April 2024 if it is not settled or dismissed.
Why is Davonte Pack suspended from Grizzlies games?
Davonte Pack was barred from Grizzlies home games at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. for his role in an incident during a game on Jan. 29.
With the Pacers visiting the Grizzlies, an incident began when Morant's father, Tee, and Pack, who were both seated courtside, engaged in a verbal back-and-forth with a number of Pacers players.
According to Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Pack was escorted off the floor.
Ja Morant and Andrew Nembhard got into it and eventually James Johnson got involved. Looks like Ja Morant’s friend Davonte Pack was escorted off the floor. pic.twitter.com/etvu1yIXHZ
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) January 30, 2023
According to a report from The Athletic, the incident escalated postgame as "acquaintances of [Morant] aggressively confronted members of the Pacers traveling party near the team's bus in the loading area of FedExForum."
The report adds that "later someone in a slow-moving SUV — which Morant was riding in — trained a red laser on them."
In the aftermath, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said that "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." There was no explicit mention of Pack's name.
Later, Morant would tweet that the NBA "banned my brother from home games for a year," with Pack later quoting Morant's tweet and adding that everything within the report was "false info."
ALL FALSE INFO🤷🏾♂️ Crazy how you believe there side of the story when the cameras don't show nothing that article said https://t.co/2b17vN3M5n
— DTAP (@xBestManWinx) February 5, 2023
Davonte Pack basketball career
While Morant attended Crestwood High School in Sumter, S.C., Pack attended Lakewood High School. As seniors, Pack's Lakewood team got the best of Morant and Crestwood both times they met, according to MaxPreps.
Pack went on to play collegiately at Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, Kan. before transferring to NAIA Friends University in Witchita, Kan.
Over three seasons at Friends University, Pack averaged 15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, earning an Honorable Mention to the NAIA All-America Team after the 2020-21 season.
Pack reaches 1,000 career points but Falcons come up short vs. Ottawa
— 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦 (@FriendsFalcons) December 9, 2021
- https://t.co/6xPcNJLEdM pic.twitter.com/UN3jdlKb9f
Pack's college basketball career came to an end after his senior season in 2021-22.
