Josh Giddey spotted with glamorous blonde after teen girl allegations

• Aussie star is back home after NBA season finished in the playoffs 
• Had a tough season as ongoing investigations took their toll 
• Appears relaxed and happy and he parties with an Aussie model 

Australian NBA and Boomers star Josh Giddey has been snapped in steamy photos with a glamourous blonde model just months after he was cleared over allegations he had an improper relationship with an underage girl.

With the Aussie basketball star’s NBA season over, he has been pictured living it up with Melbourne model Maki Lesko.

Lesko describes herself as Russian, Polish and Australian and is represented by leading Melbourne modelling agency Brooklyn MGMT in Australia and Agency Arizona in the United States. 

In a series of photos posted in Melbourne on social media platform Instagram, Lesko is seen posing while Giddey texts in a vehicle.

In another image that has since been deleted, she is seen with her arm snaking around Giddey’s neck while he sticks his tongue out in what looks like a Melbourne night club.

Lesko is also pictured with rising Australian basketball star Patrick Twigg, with her hand on his leg and looking lovingly at the Notre Dame college star.  

Lesko has also previously been linked with Essendon AFL star Ben Hobbs after stepping out on the red carpet at the club’s best and fairest awards in 2022 with the footy star. 

Giddey was cleared of allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor by both USA police and the NBA this year.

The Newport Beach Police Department in California confirmed in January that their investigation into the claims was officially over and no charges would be laid.

This followed an inquiry into whether Giddey had an improper relationship with an underage girl after material circulated on social media.

The allegations surfaced on social media in November last year. 

Throughout the investigation, the Oklahoma City Thunder supported their 21-year-old guard, allowing Giddey to continue playing.

Despite the unfounded allegations, Giddey faced boos and jeers at games, affecting his performance until a late-season surge. The NBA concluded its investigation in May, following the police’s decision not to pursue charges.

Giddey became emotional discussing the toll the season took on him after finishing his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team was eliminated from the NBA playoffs after a second-round defeat by the Dallas Mavericks.

‘This was probably the biggest challenge I’ve ever gone through for a number of reasons,’ Giddey said.

‘I think coping mentally is the part that gets overlooked the most for any player. People see what’s happening on the floor but not behind the scenes. There’s so much more to a person than basketball.’

‘You have a couple of bad games, you start to get in your own head, maybe lose confidence. But for me, I’ve tried to stay within the team. Coming in every day, getting amongst the team, staying within the group — that’s what cheers guys up and gets you back on the right path.’

‘I’m really lucky to have good people around me who care and are there for you.

‘There have definitely been tough days and stretches this year. It’s not a secret. But I just tried to come in every day and be the best I could and be the best teammate I could.’

The Aussie star will now turn his focus to the Boomers’ quest for an Olympic medal in Paris this July.

The Boomers’ 17-player squad will be cut to 12 for the Games after a camp in Melbourne, starting this month, which features lead-up fixtures against China on July 2 and July 4. 

NBA stars Giddey, Patty Mills and Josh Green will lead the charge against star-studded Canada, and potentially Spain or Greece, in a tough pool stage. 

Despite the quality of opposition and a 10th-place finish at last year’s World Cup, the Boomers are optimistic about their medal chances in Paris after snaring bronze in Tokyo. 

‘The goal remains the same,’ sharpshooting Melbourne United star Chris Goulding said.

‘We’ve tasted medal success, we want more, we want to go further.

‘We look back at being up 10-15 points against Team USA in a semi-final (in Tokyo) and you look at some things you could do better and try to go that one step further.

‘That’s definitely what we’ll be looking to do.’