“Losing a shoe deal for posting a link” – Fans criticize the NBA for inaction in handling allegations of p*dophilia against Josh Giddey

Fans cry bias, argue that stars like Kyrie Irving and Ja Morant were suspended for doing way less.

“Losing a shoe deal for posting a link” – Fans criticize the NBA for inaction in handling allegations of p*dophilia against Josh Giddey

NBA fans are comparing the league's slower response to the Josh Giddey controversy when compared to other stars like Kyrie Irving or Ja Morant (Associated Press)

Oklahoma City Thunder’s star guard Josh Giddey is at the center of controversy right now, surrounded by p*dophilic allegations as suggestive videos and images of him with a junior high school girl went viral. Both the NBA and the OKC Thunder haven’t released any official statement on this situation, a fact that is highly disturbing.

What the fans feel is odd is that the NBA doesn’t usually let these kinds of actions slide, and the silence on such a serious accusation has angered them. This is due to the fact that the league wants its content to be family-friendly and portray the players involved as people whom the youth will look up to. For violating their principles, it has also handed out suspensions to players and this inaction does put a bad light on them.

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When a reporter hinted at the controversy currently surrounding him, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard merely dodged the topic, saying:

FS Video
Yeah I mean I understand the question obviously but um, I just don't feel like commenting right now.

And just like that, Josh Giddey was let off the hook. This approach contrasts starkly with how the NBA has managed similar off-court situations in the past. During his time with the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving had faced significant backlash for posting a link on Twitter that received criticism for being anti-Semitic.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver sought an apology from Kyrie which he did not make in time. This resulted in a declaration that the latter was currently “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets”. Further, he lost his Nike deal due to this controversy, and his Kyrie 8s went unreleased.

Another player who recently got suspended for off-court indiscipline is Memphis Grizzlies‘ star Ja Morant. The league awarded him a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season for displaying a firearm in a Denver-area nightclub on his Instagram Live. Silver remarked that “other young people may potentially emulate” his actions which doesn’t send the right message.

Fans THUNDER at OKC and NBA for their apparent inaction

It could be that the NBA is just taking time to verify the allegations against Josh Giddey before implementing any concrete measures. One could also argue that Irving and Morant themselves brought their actions to public attention, eliminating the need for any further verification.

Josh Giddey with minor Liv Cook
Disturbing images of the OKC star were leaked on Twitter with then minor ‘girlfriend’, now identified as Liv Cook (X)

However, the fans don’t seem to show any mercy to the NBA and the Oklahoma City Thunder for their inaction. P*dophila is unacceptable, and it’s understandable why slacking off on the matter and letting him play in OKC’s match against the Philadelphia 76ers has disappointed fans.

On the other hand, some community members are also questioning the authenticity of the entire situation. No one has proven anything yet, and jumping to conclusions would be unfair. The evidence presented so far incriminates Josh Giddey heavily and casts him in a negative light. However, comparing these circumstances reveals that authorities did not immediately suspend Ja Morant and Kyrie Irving either, after their respective controversies surfaced.

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