At the end of the 2018-2019 NBA season, Luke Walton was let go as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Just a few days later, he reached an agreement to become the head coach of the Sacramento Kings, who are a team on the rise in the Western Conference. Walton's hiring was immediately dampened due to a sexual assault lawsuit filed by broadcaster and author, Kelli Tennant. Tennant alleged that Walton forced himself on her in his hotel room after dropping off her book. In the complaint, she says Walton rubbed himself on her and she screamed at him to get off, which he eventually did. The alleged incident occurred five years ago.
In new court documents obtained by TMZ, Walton's legal team is trying to have the case dismissed as they believe Tennant is lying about the alleged encounter. Walton denies the notion that he was her mentor when it came to broadcasting, while also saying he never wrote the foreword to her book. Within the documents, Walton notes that Tennant is the one who initiated their meeting at the hotel and that nothing sexual ever happened. He maintains that she never complained to him about what happened and that nothing she alleges ever occurred.
Walton also says he willing to go to court and fight the case as he doesn't believe he owes Tennant any money.
