Kings coach Luke Walton says sex assault claim lacks facts
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton says sexual assault allegations against him are not backed up by facts and are designed to attract media attention.
Walton made his comments in a court brief filed Wednesday in response to a lawsuit by sportscaster Kelli Tennant.
She has said Walton attacked her in 2014 when he was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, but she was too afraid to file charges.
Tennant says Walton pinned her to a bed, forcibly kissed her and laughed when she asked him to get off her.
The court filing last week says encounter was “very short, entirely pleasant and consensual,” and did not include raised voices or groping.
It characterizes the meeting as “platonic in nature.”
Tennant has spoken publicly about the situation at a news conference.
