Top women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred to represent teen in Josh Giddey case

A famous US lawyer will play a major role for the teenager whose alleged relationship with Oklahoma City Thunder star Josh Giddey has sparked a police inquiry.

America’s most powerful women’s rights lawyer is representing the teenager whose alleged relationship with Australian basketball star Josh Giddey is now being investigated by police.

In a major twist in the saga, Gloria Allred has agreed to act on behalf of the Californian high school student and her family, after reports that they were reluctant to co-operate with the police probe.

Ms Allred, a member of the US National Women’s Hall of Fame, has represented clients in a string of high-profile cases against celebrities including Tiger Woods, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She was also at the centre at the so-called trial of the century of OJ Simpson in 1995, representing the family of his slain wife Nicole Simpson as the National Football League star was tried and acquitted of murder.

Police in California have begun a Josh Giddey investigation. Picture: Getty

Ms Allred, asked about her role in the Giddey case, issued a brief statement which said: “I confirm that I do represent the family, and we have no comment.”

It was revealed on Saturday that the alleged relationship unfolded when Giddey, then 19, met the young woman in California. He believed she was also 19, sources said, and ended the connection after a one-night encounter when he was made aware that she was 15.

The relationship is being investigated by the NBA as well as the Newport Beach Police Department, which said it was “actively seeking additional information related to these allegations and pursuing all leads and evidence to obtain the facts of the case”.

No charges have been laid in the matter.

Gloria Allred is a powerful women;s rights lawyer. Picture: AFP

Giddey, the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard, has continued to play since the allegations initially emerged on social media. He has been relentlessly booed when his team has played away from home.

His coach Mark Daigneault said it was “not really even a decision” for him to take the court based on “the information that we have at this point”, while Giddey has refused to comment on the allegations.

Speaking generally, American defence lawyers have said that sex crimes cases in California – where the age of consent is 18 – are rarely prosecuted when the age gap between the people involved is narrow.

Someone accused of statutory rape has a complete defence to any allegation if they reasonably believed the alleged victim was over the age of 18, with the burden of proof resting on prosecutors to show that a defendant did not believe the other person could legally consent.

Giddey has continued to play for Oklahoma City Thunder. Picture: David Caird

Ms Allred holds up a sign after the sentencing of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Picture: AFP

Ms Allred, 82, is the founding partner of Allred, Maroko and Goldberg, which says it “handles more women’s rights cases than any other private firm in the nation and has won hundreds of millions of dollars for victims”.

The subject of a Netflix documentary, she is described on her website as “the most famous woman lawyer practising law in the nation today”.

It is unclear whether her involvement in the Giddey case means the family is now willing to engage with the police investigation.

Giddey has not spoken about the situation since his first comments last Saturday.

“I understand the question, obviously, but there is no further comment right now,” Giddey said.

Asked again, he said: “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.”