Kings coach Walton sued for sexual assault, no investigation yet

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Police in Santa Monica, California, said a local sports reporter never filed a report accusing Luke Walton of sexual assault, and the Sacramento Kings reportedly weren't aware of the allegations when they hired him as their head coach last week.

According to Reuters, Walton, 39, is not under investigation.

"There has been no report made to the Santa Monica Police Department," Lt. Candice Cobarrubias said in a statement. "No investigation is ongoing."

Celebrity news outlet TMZ reported that sports reporter Kelli Tennant filed a lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming Walton assaulted her at the Casa del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica while he was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

The date of the alleged attack is unknown, but it is believed to be before he became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016.

Luke Walton coaches the last basketball game of the season between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers in Los Angeles, California, April 9, 2019. /VCG Photo

The Lakers issued a statement on Monday night saying they had no previous knowledge of the allegations.

"This alleged incident took place before Luke Walton was the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers," a team spokesperson said.

"At no time before or during his employment here was this allegation reported to the Lakers. If it had been, we would have immediately commenced an investigation and notified the NBA."

Walton's lawyer, Mark Baute, issued a statement Tuesday calling the allegations "baseless."

"The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, and her claim is not credible. We intend to prove this in a courtroom," he said.

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass issued a statement Tuesday reading, "We are coordinating with the Kings organization and are in the process of gathering more information."

Meanwhile, the Kings issued a statement Monday night that read, "We are aware of the report and are gathering additional information. We have no further comment at this time."

Walton parted ways with the Lakers on April 12 after a 37-45 season. He compiled a 98-148 record over three seasons, with no playoff appearances. He was quickly hired by the Kings.

(With input from AFP and Reuters)