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Amid being investigated for an alleged improper relationship with a minor, OKC Thunder guard Josh Giddey received a harsh reception from Sacramento Kings fans.
Per The Sacramento Observer’s Mark Haynes, Kings fans booed Giddey “every time he touched the ball” to start Thursday’s matchup between OKC and Sacramento.
Giddey has continued playing over the last few weeks since Newport Beach, California police began investigating the allegations surrounding him.
The 21-year-old allegedly spent a night with a 16-year-old girl in 2021 after meeting her in an Oklahoma City club. However, he reportedly cut contact with her after discovering her age.
The underage girl and her family have hired renowned lawyer Gloria Allred to handle the case. Allred is known for representing women in cases against famous/prominent men.
In addition to being investigated by police, Giddey is under investigation by the NBA. However, according to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, the league has taken a “backseat” in the proceedings.
Adam Silver on why Josh Giddey is still playing amid allegations
As for why Josh Giddey is still allowed to play for the Thunder amid being investigated, Adam Silver recently touched on the NBA’s reasoning.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Friday, Silver highlighted how the league typically doesn’t suspend players based solely on allegations.
“I can’t think of many circumstances where we’ve suspended a player based on an allegation alone,” Silver said. “In this case, we have an allegation and then you have a police investigation and then a parallel league investigation. I also add that, where there is a criminal investigation, we take a back seat.
“That impacts how the players and players association can work with us because of course the player needs to protect his rights. I’m not going to say never ever, but I think this is the path we’ve consistently followed in the past.”
The Australian guard remains a key starter for OKC, which entered Thursday with the second-best record (15-7) in the Western Conference.
Through 22 games, Giddey is averaging 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks and 0.8 3-pointers per game on 41.8% shooting.
Also Read: 5 NBA players under 25 years of age whose careers are embroiled in legal drama
Guess the Lakers players!
