'We won't pay her a dime!' Attorney of NBA coach accused of sexual assault slams the 'choreographed press conference' from the female sports reporter who filed a civil lawsuit, saying she has no evidence
- Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton is being sued by a female sports reporter, Kelli Tennant, who says she was sexually assaulted by Walton in 2016
- Tennant claims the incident took place in Walton's hotel room in Santa Monica, where the two met to discuss her book project before he took the Lakers job
- Tennant alleges Walton forced himself on her while pinning her to his bed
- Tennant alleges Walton rubbed his body against hers while gripping her in a hug and also made 'vulgar, guttural sounds' on one occasion
- Walton's attorney Mark Baute responded with his own statement: 'The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, and her claim is not credible'
The attorney of Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton slammed a press conference held in L.A. on Tuesday, where sports reporter Kelli Tennant accused his client of sexual abuse, claiming there was no evidence to support her allegations.
Mark Baute said allegations that the NBA coach groped Tennant in a Santa Monica hotel room in 2016, before he took the top job at the Los Angeles Lakers, were 'outrageous', and alluded to her lawyer's own admission that the case lacked proof.
He said in an email to media: 'Yesterday's press conference was a poorly staged attempt to portray the accuser as a viable spokesperson for an important movement.
'These claims are false and Luke's innocence will be proven in court.'
Recently hired Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton (left) is being sued by Kelli Tennant (right), a Los Angeles-based television sports reporter, for sexual assault
'[Tennant's] lawyers want to create a public circus to distract from their complete lack of evidence to support their outrageous claims. We will not try this case in the media or pay them a dime.'
Tennant filed a civil lawsuit accusing Walton, 39, of assault, battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, gender violence and violation of the Ralph Act, which protects against threats of violence. The suit seeks unspecified damages.
The former reporter for the Los Angeles-based network Spectrum SportsNet, claims in the lawsuit that she and Walton scheduled a business meeting when he was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.
According to Tennant's lawsuit, Walton asked her to meet him at his hotel in Santa Monica to talk about a book that she was writing, according to TMZ.
Tennant alleges in her lawsuit that Walton forced himself on her in his hotel room in Santa Monica during an encounter sometime before April 2016
Tennant, who has known Walton for years, wanted the former Lakers player to write the foreword to her new book.
According to her lawsuit, Tennant says that shortly after arriving at the hotel, Walton convinced her to join him in his room.
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Once in the room, she alleges that Walton pinned her to the bed and forced himself on her, placing his hips and legs over her body.
Walton then is alleged to have forced kisses on her neck, face, and chest, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ.
Tennant alleges in her lawsuit that she screamed for Walton to stop.
When she tried to free herself, he kept holding her down, the lawsuit states.
Tennant claims she and Walton agreed to meet in order to discuss her new book, the foreword of which she hoped he would write
Once in the room, she alleges that Walton pinned her to the bed and forced himself on her, placing his hips and legs over her body
After the alleged incident, Tennant continued to interact with Walton because she says it was part of her job requirement. She alleges that each time they met, Walton would give her a hug and a kiss, both of which were unwanted
Before she embarked on a career in broadcasting, Tennant was a collegiate volleyball player at the University of Southern California. But her athletic career was cut short after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia
Walton then proceeded to grope Tennant's breasts and groin before rubbing his erect penis against her leg, according to court documents.
Tennant says Walton eventually let her up from the bed, but as she headed towards the door to leave the room, the former NBA star grabbed her from behind and forced his body up against hers.
She claims that when Walton let go of her, she then opened the door and left.
In the lawsuit, Tennant says Walton said to her as she left: 'Good to see you.'
After the alleged incident, Tennant continued to interact with Walton because she says it was part of her job requirement.
In 2014, Tennant authored a book, The Transition: Every Athlete's Guide to Life After Sports, which helps 'athletes make the move from sports into the real world'
She alleges that each time they met, Walton would give her a hug and a kiss, both of which were unwanted.
Tennant alleges that Walton also made 'vulgar, guttural sounds at her' on one occasion.
On another occasion, he is said to have told her: 'Mmmmm… you're killing me in that dress.'
Tennant claims that on a separate occasion, Walton gave an aggressive hug and rubbed his body against hers.
Walton's attorney Mark Baute responded with his own statement: 'Luke Walton retained me to defend him against these baseless allegations. The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, & her claim is not credible. We intend to prove this in a courtroom.'
Baute successfully defended former NBA MVP Derrick Rose in 2016 when he was accused of raping a woman.
Before she embarked on a career in broadcasting, Tennant was a collegiate volleyball player at the University of Southern California.
But her athletic career was cut short after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a non-life threatening condition characterized by chronic and widespread muscle pain and tenderness.
In 2014, Tennant authored a book, The Transition: Every Athlete's Guide to Life After Sports, which helps 'athletes make the move from sports into the real world.'
Walton, the son of NBA legend and broadcaster Bill Walton, was a star basketball player at the University of Arizona.
It was at the university where he met his eventual wife, Bre Ladd. The two married in 2013.
In 2013, Walton married his college sweetheart, Bre Ladd. The couple met more than a decade earlier when they were both collegiate athletes at the University of Arizona
He eventually played 11 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2013.
After spending two seasons as an assistant with the Warriors, Walton was hired by the Lakers as their head coach.
But the team failed to make the playoffs during his three seasons, and the two sides agreed to part ways earlier this month.
Last week, it was announced that Walton had come to an agreement to become the next head coach of the Sacramento Kings.
'We are aware of the report and are gathering additional information,' the Kings said in a statement.
'We have no further comment at this time.'
