Rising NBA Star Accused of Crime with Minor - League Investigating
One of the NBA’s premier, do-it-all young stars has been accused of doing far too much with a minor — and the league is investigating.
According to both the Associated Press and ESPN, the league is looking into allegations that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey had an improper relationship with a minor.
Early last week (it’s unclear when exactly the since-deleted social media post went live), a post went up claiming that Giddey had an improper relationship with an underage girl.
The girl in question was spotted in a number of videos and pictures with Giddey on social media, and the aforementioned post alleged that she was a high school junior at the time of the relationship.
The entire social media account in question has been deactivated.
Giddey, a 21-year-old Australian, didn’t offer much when asked about the allegations on Friday at practice.
“Yeah, I mean, I understand the question, obviously,” Giddey told reporters, per the AP. “But there’s no further comment right now.”
When pressed on the subject, Giddey stressed: “I get the question, guys. I completely understand you guys want to know about it. But just for right now, I don’t have anything to say.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault similarly offered little when asked about the allegations.
“Personal matter, and I have no comment on it,” Daigneault said, according to ESPN. “And that’ll be my comment on anything related.”
Giddey is the former No. 6 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft and a do-it-all guard for the Thunder, stuffing the stat sheet with averages of 12.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
As of early Saturday afternoon, Giddey was still listed as an active participant in that night’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
That seeming designation came just a day after NBA representative Michael Bass acknowledged the league was investigating the matter.
“We’re looking into it,” Bass said Friday.
As the league reviews the allegations, the Thunder will seek to continue the team’s overall winning ways.
The 11-4 Thunder are first in the Northwest Division, and feature a potential Rookie of the Year candidate in big man Chet Holmgren, who missed his actual rookie year due to injury.
Giddey was unable to crack the top 5 of his own Rookie of the Year conversation:
The 15-point difference between the NBA Rookie of the Year winner (Scottie Barnes) and the second-place finisher (Evan Mobley) is the smallest margin since the current voting format began 19 years ago.
More ➡️ https://t.co/dC7zbvLY5q
Full voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LWhlYARDcX
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 23, 2022
Giddey’s true breakout happened in his sophomore campaign, when he notched career highs across virtually all major statistical categories.
This year, his third season in the league, Giddey has regressed across a number of areas, though he is still viewed as a key building block of the Thunder.
Giddey has also been a standout player for his home country of Australia in international competition.
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