Five years before Kelli Tennant publicly accused new Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton of sexual assault, she asked Walton to write the foreword in her book “The Transition: Every Athlete’s Guide to Life After Sports.” A 10-year NBA veteran, Walton met Tennant while she was reporting for Spectrum Sportsnet in Los Angeles.
In a news conference Tuesday to announce her lawsuit filed that same day, Tennant said she had visited Walton at his Santa Monica hotel to deliver a copy of “The Transition” in late 2014. Walton, who was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors at the time, allegedly assaulted her in his hotel room.