The Newport Beach Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that Josh Giddey, a wing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, will not be facing criminal charges related to an alleged contact with a child.
The Newport Beach Police Department stated in its statement that they could not verify the claims made against 21-year-old Giddey:
Since November, when images and videos of Giddey with the purported victim gained widespread attention online, investigators have been looking into the incident.
Days after the event was allegedly said to have occurred in Newport Beach, California, the police department there joined the NBA in announcing that they would be investigating the accusations.
Since players are not need to be legally prosecuted in order to be fined or suspended, Giddey may still be subject to penalty by the NBA. In December, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated that the league would not punish Giddey solely on the basis of claims, but rather would let the police to do their investigation.
While Giddey and the Thunder have acknowledged the high level of public interest in the claims, they have always chosen not to speak more.
Even though Giddey is facing accusations, the Thunder have kept him on the roster. Despite being back on the court for just one game this season, the Thunder's 27-13 record and the former No. 6 overall pick's statistics have seen a significant decline from last year.
Giddey has started all 39 games but is averaging a career low in points (11.8), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.8), and minutes played (24.8).