Sacramento Kings fans boo Oklahoma City Thunder’s Josh Giddey amid police investigation

Kings fans didn’t try to hide their contempt for Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey during Thursday’s game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Giddey was greeted with a loud chorus of boos during pregame introductions. The booing continued every time Giddey touched the ball.

The 21-year-old guard from Australia has continued to play while Newport Beach police investigate an alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor in Southern California. The NBA and Newport Beach police opened separate investigations in November after photos and a video surfaced on social media, purportedly showing Giddey with an underage female.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and Giddey have declined to comment on the investigation. Daigneault has called it a “league matter.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently told ESPN’s “NBA Today” why Giddey hasn’t been subject to league discipline.

“I can’t think of many circumstances where we’ve suspended a player based on an allegation alone,” Silver said. “I’m not going to say never ever, but I think this is the path we’ve consistently followed in the past.

“In this case, so we have an allegation and then you have a police investigation and then a parallel league investigation. I also add that, where there is a criminal investigation, we take a back seat … that impacts how the players and players association can work with us because, of course, the player needs to protect his rights.”

Giddey is in his third season with the Thunder after being selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He is averaging career lows of 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists while a career-low 41.8% from the field.