Josh Giddey investigation by NBA for alleged relationship with minor, explained

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey is under investigation by the NBA for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor. The league announced its investigation a day after screenshots spread on social media appearing to show the 21-year-old Giddey having a romantic relationship with a female fan who is allegedly under 18 years old.

Giddey remains in the starting lineup for the Thunder while under investigation. The Thunder lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night in the team’s first game since the allegations against Giddey surfaced. The guard finished with 10 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in the loss.

Both Giddey and the Thunder have declined to comment on the situation publicly. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called the investigation a ‘league matter’ before Saturday’s game against Philadelphia.

Who is Josh Giddey?

Josh Giddey is an Australian guard who has been a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder since the franchise selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. SB Nation profiled Giddey and his sudden rise into a top NBA prospect in July of 2021.

Giddey has started all 146 games of his NBA career. With Giddey in the lineup, the Thunder have emerged as the biggest surprise of the early season, currently sitting at 11-5, tied for the third-best winning percentage in the NBA.

What do the Josh Giddey social media pictures show?

We are not going to link the gallery of social media pictures showing Giddey with an alleged minor, but the pictures and videos have been all over X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.

One video shows Giddey and a young female appear to send a message to her brother. A picture shows Giddey with his arms wrapped around her. Another video appears to show Giddey saying he was leaving the club with the young female to head back to his home. Another image appearing to come from the young woman’s Snapchat account shows the two together with her boasting that they had spent the night together.

What have the Thunder said about Giddey’s allegations?

Giddey acknowledged the allegations but declined to comment at a recent Thunder practice:

Here’s what Daigneault said when asked about the allegations facing Giddey:

We’ll update this story as it develops.