Kings, NBA taking no action in Walton case
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings and the NBA have announced they are taking no action against Luke Walton after not finding enough evidence during an investigation into allegations that the coach sexually assaulted a woman.
The team and league began a joint investigation in April after a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles by former sportscaster Kelli Tennant, who “elected not to participate in the investigation. Based on this and the available evidence, the investigators determined that there was not a sufficient basis to support the allegations made against coach Walton.”
The Kings and NBA said Friday the matter is considered closed barring further evidence emerging.
Walton was hired by the Kings on April 13 just one day after being dismissed from his first head-coaching job with the Lakers.
“Luke Walton is our head coach, and we support him and his team as they continue to prepare for the upcoming season,” the Kings said in a statement.
Tennant said that Walton attacked her when he was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, which was from 2014 to 2016. The woman said she confided in people at the time but never filed charges because she was scared. Garo Mardirossian, her lawyer, said because years had passed, he believed it would be difficult now to file a police report and put together a criminal case.
Tennant said Walton continued to harass her after he became coach of the Lakers and she was working as a broadcaster in Los Angeles for Spectrum SportsNet and SportsNet LA.
“I am 100 percent focused on coaching the Sacramento Kings, and energized to work with this incredible group of players and coaches as we start the preseason,” Walton said in a statement.