Ja Morant Countersues Accuser For Slander, Assault & Battery

Ja Morant is countersuing the teenager who says he was assaulted by the NBA star ... claiming the guy is lying about their July 2022 pickup basketball altercation -- alleging he's the one who was actually threatened during the incident.

The Memphis Grizzlies point guard spelled out his claims in new court documents that were filed in Shelby County, TN on Wednesday night.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, Morant acknowledged getting into a tiff with H.S. basketball star Joshua Holloway during the July 26 game at his home in Memphis, but says Holloway was the aggressor in the situation.

Morant says after things "got heated" during the game, Holloway intentionally threw a basketball at Morant's face. The teen then, according to Morant, "balled up his fists and walked aggressively" toward the NBA star "as if to attack him."

Morant said in the docs he did hit the boy, but claimed it was self-defense. He added that following an ensuing skirmish, Holloway yelled that he would come back to Morant's house and light it up "like a firework show."

Morant says he -- and other witnesses at the scene -- took that as "a threat to use a gun."

But, in the countersuit, Morant says Holloway then went to cops and lied to them about the situation, telling officers he was the victim. Morant says the boy also falsely told the cops Morant had a gun on his person following the altercation.

Morant said in the docs that once the boy's fabricated story became public through the media, it caused him ridicule and humiliation.

Morant is now countersuing Holloway for slander, battery and assault. He's asking for unspecified damages.

As we previously reported, Holloway sued Morant over the incident in September -- claiming the two-time All-Star and one of his good friends roughed him up in the confrontation at the pickup game.