Kendal Pinder: Harlem Globetrotters, NBL player charged with stalking and intimidation

A basketball star who made his name with the Harlem Globetrotters is behind bars on remand after he allegedly left a woman fearing she would be “assaulted and kidnapped”.

Kendal ‘Tiny’ Pinder has been charged with stalking and intimidation over an alleged incident with a woman at a Sydney train station.

An international basketball star who once performed with the iconic Harlem Globetrotters is now behind bars on remand charged over an incident which left a woman terrified she would be assaulted and kidnapped, police claim

Kendal Pinder’s criminal record was unveiled in a Sydney courtroom today after he was charged with stalking and intimidation.

The 203cm tall Pinder – also known as Tiny – performed with the Harlem Globetrotters from 1980 to 1983 before playing in the Australian NBL in the late 80s and early 90s with the Sydney Supersonics, Perth Wildcats and Illawarra Hawks.

Police will allege Pinder followed a young woman unknown to him from Rockdale train station and repeatedly urged her to get into his car in the afternoon of April 22.

Kendal ‘Tiny’ Pinder in 1995.

Pinder in his Illawarra Hawks days.

Magistrate Jayeann Carney at Sutherland Local Court said the woman was terrified throughout the alleged incident.

“The accused said ‘get into my car, you can take the number plates’ and the woman said ‘I’m right thanks’,” Ms Carney said.

“He continued to press her, to say ‘get into my car’ – the victim said he stayed very still and ushered her with hand gestures.”

The complainant then told police she froze in terror as Pindal allegedly continued to try and coerce her into a silver Mercedes.

“Eventually the victim said ‘I’m walking away now’ and he was almost demanding her to get into the car,” Ms Carney said.

“He began to raise his hands aggressively and in frustration until she left the scene and she was in fear of being assaulted and kidnapped.”

Pinder is blocked by Adelaide 36ers player Bill Jones in 1985.

Tiny hits the deck.

Police prosecutor Sergeant McGee said the allegations followed a pattern of prior sexual offending for which Pinder has been convicted in both NSW and Western Australia.

The court heard a member of Pinder’s own family had called police with fears for public safety after Pinder came home and informed them he had offered a woman a lift.

“It’s telling that police became aware of the accused through a member of his own family, who contacted police to say they had extreme concerns for community safety after he told them what he had done that day,” Sgt McGee said.

“The accused was charged and indeed convicted in 1995 on an offence whereby he offered the victim a lift before driving her to a park and sexually assaulting her – it is striking, and worrying.”

Pinder was jailed for 18 months in NSW for that offence, but Sgt McGee told the court

Pinder’s grave criminal history of sexual assaults dates back to the 1970s in Miami.

“He was convicted of sexual offences in 1993 and 1992, and this information is yet to be confirmed but as far back as 1976 he was sentenced to five years in Miami for carnal knowledge,” Sgt McGee said.

“He has an MO – that’s the only conclusion the court can come to in this instance, that he has been trying to coerce a woman into his car for nefarious purposes.”

Tiny Pinder Picture: Supplied

More recently, Pindal was extradited to Perth in 2013 where he subsequently served a prison term which concluded in 2019.

Pinder then returned to NSW to reside in the St George area and the court heard he is now wanted in Western Australia for alleged sex-related crimes – again.

”It’s alleged that the warrants relate to an offence in which he offered a lift to a victim before committing a sexual offence,” Sgt McGee told the court.

“The Western Australia Director of Public Prosecutions is currently deciding whether to seek extradition but if he were to travel to Western Australia he would be arrested.”

The court heard parts of the alleged incident are captured on CCTV and that Pinder had subsequently acknowledged he was both the owner and the driver of the silver Mercedes seen on the video.

Pinder in 1995.

Pinder in 1995.

Pinder attended St George police station of his own free will yesterday after detectives advised him they wished to speak to him but subsequently declined to be interviewed.

Ms Carney determined Pindal posed an unacceptable risk to community safety and to the alleged victim, as well as posing a flight risk due to his international connections and the fact he is subject to warrants in Western Australia.

Pindal was refused bail and will return to Sutherland Local Court on June 8.