Josh Giddey investigation ends as police find ‘no corroborating evidence’ of alleged underage relationship

Aussie NBA star Josh Giddey has learned his fate after police in California closed their investigation into claims made against him.

Aussie NBA star Josh Giddey. Picture: Supplied

Aussie NBA star Josh Giddey will not face charges following a police investigation into an alleged relationship with an underage girl.

The Newport Police Department in California has closed its investigation into the 21-year-old, having found ‘no corroborating evidence’ to support the claims made against him.

“After a thorough and exhaustive examination, we have completed our investigation into information that was circulating on social media involving Josh Giddey,” the Newport Police Department said in a statement.

“Our detectives have reviewed all of the available information and were unable to corroborate any criminal activity related to Mr Giddey.

Josh Giddey continued to play for the Thunder amid the allegations. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

“The Newport Beach Police Department is committed to ensuring that accurate information is disseminated to the public, while also ensuring the rights of all those involved.”

Claims first appeared against Giddey in November in an anonymous social media post on X, formerly Twitter, featuring pictures and videos of the athlete with a young girl.

The NBA was looking into the claims but commissioner Adam Silver soon halted the league’s investigation, saying the NBA probe would be taking a ‘back seat’ to the police investigation.

That meant Giddey was free to continue playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the six-foot-eight point guard went on to be booed by opposing fans in almost every game he played since.

He was subjected to incessant booing as recently as Wednesday every time he touched the ball throughout OKC’s loss to the Clippers in LA.

Australian Boomers coach Brian Goorjian, who visited Giddey last year, said the crowd reaction made him “squirm”.

It’s understood Giddey and the girl in question had connected at a nightclub, leading the NBA star to assume she was over 18, before allegations in the social media posts that she was only 16. Giddey was 19 at the time of the incident, which is reported to have occurred in 2021.

The Melbourne-born basketball star only briefly addressed the allegations when they first emerged and played on with the support of his team and its coaching staff.

“Yeah, I mean I understand the question obviously. But there’s no further comment right now,” Giddey said late last year about the allegations.

Images and video of Josh Giddey with a young woman emerged on social media last November.

It is understood Giddey met the young woman at a nightclub.

A Code Sports report in December shed more light on what occurred between Giddey and the young girl, revealing the pair had a very short relationship.

“It’s understood the girl lied about her age to gain access to a nightclub, where she interacted with Giddey, which has been confirmed via social media videos,” the report states.

“Multiple sources have confirmed it was a one-night encounter and was ended the next day when Giddey was made aware she was at high school.

“All parties involved thought the situation had been dealt with until the 21-year-old NBA star was made aware that videos and photos of the pair together may soon be leaked online.”

With the woman’s family reluctant to co-operate with police, a Californian legal expert said late last year any prosecution would be extremely difficult.

“You don’t see a lot of filings where the age gap is narrow,” Stephen Sitkoff, a defence lawyer who previously prosecuted sex crime cases in California, told CODE Sports.

Josh Giddey had a short relationship with the young woman. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

“They’re the only two who know. If she’s uncooperative, it’s going to be difficult.”

While the age of consent in California, where the incident is believed to have taken place, is 18, someone accused of statutory rape is able to escape conviction if they reasonably believed the alleged victim was an adult.

Criminal defence lawyer Neil Shouse, a former prosecutor, told CODE Sports this could be successfully argued if the other person “claimed and appeared to be over 18”, carried a fake ID showing they were over 18, or was present in an adult venue like a bar or club.

The Boomers star is currently in the third year of a four-year, $41m rookie contract with the Thunder, but could command significantly more in his next contract given his performances to date in the NBA.

Giddey has been described as the odd man out in OKC’s free flowing offence this year, with the Aussie mentioned in trade rumours as the Thunder look to find a complementary big man for Chet Holmgren to help them make a deep playoff run.

Josh Giddey has been mentioned in trade rumours in recent months. David Berding/Getty Images/AFP

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor said in November it would be in the best interest of both parties to facilitate a trade.

“Giddey is the trade piece. Simple as that,” O’Connor told The Mismatch podcast.

“They have to trade Giddey for a big. They need a big next to Chet Holmgren in the front court.

“I like Giddey a lot. It’s nothing against him individually as a player. It’s about the greater good of the team and probably the greater good for the team too. It’s not a great fit for him.

“I don’t think the fit is great and I worry about his jump shot.

“I think with Giddey he’s a great young player who is going to have a long, successful career but it might not be in Oklahoma City.”