Oklahoma City Thunder wing Josh Giddey won’t face criminal charges over an alleged relationship with a minor, a Newport Beach Police Department official told The Athletic.
Police reportedly said they were unable to corroborate the allegations against the 21-year-old Giddey.
The matter has been under investigation since November, when social media posts featuring photos and video of Giddey with the alleged victim went viral. The NBA announced it would investigate the allegations and were followed days later by the police in Newport Beach, where the incident was claimed to take place.
Giddey could still potentially face discipline from the NBA, as players don't need to be criminally charged to be fined or suspended. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in December the league would take a back seat to the police's investigation and wouldn't suspend Giddey based off allegations alone:
"In this case, so 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."
Giddey and the Thunder have consistently declined comment on the allegations beyond acknowledging the considerable public interest.
The Thunder have continued to play Giddey despite the allegations against him. The former No. 6 overall pick has missed only one game all season, though his numbers have taken a notable step back from last season while the Thunder are off to a 27-13 start. In 39 games, all starts, Giddey is averaging career lows in points (11.8), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.8) and minutes (24.8) per game.
