- The 21-year-old Australian guard was posted by James in the second quarter
- The teenage girl involved in the case refuses to cooperate with authorities
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Josh Giddey's week may have gone from bad to worse as he was posted by LeBron James amid accusations of his involvement in an inappropriate relationship despite the Thunder blowing out the Lakers, 110-133.
The 38-year-old James dove over the 21-year-old Australian guard from Oklahoma City in the second quarter of Thursday night's game at Paycom Center, with the Thunder leading by 8 points (52-60) at the time.
“LeBron with a head of steam…here comes the tray, down the court, throw it down” “Bron,” said one of the Lakers' Spectrum SportsNet commentators as the crowd went wild and showed their appreciation for the four-time NBA champion.
Giddey, who had 14 points and nine rebounds against LA, didn't exactly stumble when James went for the spectacle, but it was bad enough that OKC's No. 3 received virtually no support from his team's own fans.
The embarrassing highlight comes a day after Newport Beach, California police said their detectives are investigating allegations that the sixth pick in the 2021 NBA draft had an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl.
Lebron James dove over troubled OKC Thunder guard Josh Giddey in the second quarter
The Australian still managed to put up 14 points, along with his nine rebounds and two assists
In a since-deleted post, an anonymous social media user said last week that a girl seen with Giddey in sexually explicit videos and photos was a high school student at the time. The social media account has now been deactivated.
Giddey reached what is considered “adulthood” in the US in October.
Newport Beach police said in a news release that they are “actively seeking additional information regarding these allegations and pursuing all leads and evidence to determine the facts of the case.”
NBA spokesman Mike Bass said Wednesday that the league's investigation is ongoing.
“We are aware of the report on the Newport Beach Police Department investigation,” he said. “We continue to gather information.”
The teenager at the center of the inappropriate relationship has refused to cooperate with police.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has continued to back his third-year, 21-year-old guard
Giddey, who is at risk of losing his $40 million Weet-Bix sponsorship, has so far declined to comment on the situation. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had no comment before Tuesday's game against Minnesota, although he has said in the past that the player, whose agent was just fired, has the right to play until a conclusion is reached in the investigation.
The Thunder did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment on Thursday.
Giddey is averaging 12 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for an OKC team that is off to a 12-6 start. He has started all three games since the allegations were made: losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves before the win against the Lakers.
He was especially cheered during the starter introductions at home against Philadelphia, but he was booed and heckled during the road game against Minnesota.