The Sacramento Kings hired former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton last April, the same month the 39-year-old was hit with a civil suit by a Spectrum SportsNet female broadcaster alleging sexual assault.
Last month, the NBA and Kings released a statement claiming they ended a joint investigation on the matter, with not “sufficient basis” to further examine Walton's accusation.
Now, Walton speaks publicly for the first time after keeping silent throughout the process. During the Kings' annual media day, Walton addressed his offseason, the allegation and what he did to keep his focus on the team.
“It's the same thing I tell my players, ‘we're together as a group, and what we have to focus on is what we have in front of us, and what we can control.' This is my job and it's my job to be the best for my players, be there for my players, and that's what I plan to do,” Walton said.
The former NBA player for the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers also brushed aside a follow-up question, instead deciding not to fully answer the question on whether he would be cleared of wrongdoing.
Walton is known as the son of Hall of Fame center Bill Walton along with his playing tenure with the Lakers, where he won two championships mostly as a forward coming off the bench.
After he retired, Walton briefly worked with Spectrum SportsNet, where he would meet the his alleged victim. He later found employment as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, winning a title in 2015 on Steve Kerr's staff.