Why is Josh Giddey participating in Thunder games while the police look into reports of him dating a minor?
The Oklahoma City Thunder started Josh Giddey in the starting lineup on Thursday night when the Lakers came to town, just two days after Newport Beach police announced they were looking into claims the third-year NBA player had an improper relationship with a minor.
The guard Giddey, 21, was heckled when he touched the ball during his Tuesday night game in Minnesota, on the same day that officials announced they had opened an investigation into him. Until further information is obtained and he is cleared or suspended, he will probably continue to receive that treatment while driving.
In a crushing of the Lakers, the atmosphere at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center was more festive. Giddey, who has a 12-6 record and is positioned close to the top of the Western Conference, contributed 14 points and eight assists in the Thunder’s 133-110 victory.
Despite never having played collegiate basketball, he was selected sixth overall in the 2021 NBA draft and became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double as a rookie, at the age of 19. As of right now, Giddey is three years into a four-year, $27.2 million contract.
In one of the pictures, the smiling woman is positioned behind a shirtless Giddey. Others show them laughing and chatting with the camera outside an Orange County nightclub.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Newport Beach police stated that they are “pursuing all leads and evidence to obtain the facts of the case” and that they are also asking the public for information regarding the allegations.
The goal of the Newport Beach Police Department is to protect each person’s privacy and dignity while ensuring a fair and comprehensive investigation process. Detectives from the NBPD are currently working on an ongoing investigation.
According to an Orange County high school teacher who asked to remain anonymous and was not permitted to speak in public, the female is a student there. The Times will not release the precise identity of a purportedly young victim of a sexual offense.
Giddey’s home country of Australia and the state in which he plays, Oklahoma, have 16 years old consent laws, while California has 18 years.
Speaking under anonymity, a district attorney’s office employee in Orange County expressed frustration with the internet’s proliferating rumors and false information, stating: “It would be difficult if there was a criminal prosecution.”
When asked about Giddey’s actions off the court on Friday, Giddey replied, “I get the question, guys,” in response to questions from reporters. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault remained silent on the matter. I totally get why you guys would want to know about it. For the time being, I have nothing to say.
Giddey trains in Orange County during the off-season, and his agent, Daniel Moldovan, is also Australian and resides in Newport Beach.
Giddey, an Australian player, won the Wanda Rising Star Award at the FIBA World Cup in September and is thought to be crucial to Australia’s hopes of winning a medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Giddey was raised by professional athletes. Warrick Giddey, his father, is a coach in the Australian women’s league and a former player for the Melbourne Tigers. Kim Giddey, his mother, was a women’s league player for Melbourne.
Brian Goorjian, Giddey’s Australian coach, offered his support.
“It’s really outside of my expertise,” Goorjian said to reporters in Australia. “All I did was message him to let him know that help is available. Early in December, I’m going to travel [to the United States] to meet him in person. I simply want to inform him that he currently has
Before taking any action, the NBA usually waits for law enforcement to finish an investigation and file charges. The league has the right to suspend a player even in the event that the investigation yields no criminal or legal charges. For instance, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies is currently serving a 25-game suspension. Last season, he received an eight-game suspension for brandishing a firearm on Instagram Live.
Steve Henson works as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times’ Fast Break sports team. He worked in the Sports department as a reporter and assistant editor before. As a senior editor and columnist at Yahoo Sports and as a senior editor at the USA Today Sports Media Group, Henson led digital-only newsrooms from 2007 to 2019. He has worked for The Times twice before, covering the Dodgers and UCLA in addition to doing enterprise, investigative, and feature writing between 1985 and 2007. Henson has received numerous honors from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE), the Football Writers Association of America, the California News Publishers Association, and the L.A. Press Club. In 2021, the APSE awarded Henson first place in sports features.
