Kings Rebuff Adelaide Body Shaming Claims

Adelaide 36ers Lodge Formal Complaint Over Body-Shaming Allegations

The Adelaide 36ers have officially lodged a complaint with the National Basketball League (NBL) following alleged body-shaming comments made by Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach, Andrew Bogut. This development adds another layer of tension to the already fiercely contested championship series between the two clubs.

The 36ers on Monday publicly accused the former NBA star of “persistent and repeated personal attacks” directed at their owner, Grant Kelley. Reports surfaced over the weekend detailing an alleged confrontation between Bogut and Kelley after the 36ers secured a victory over the Kings in game two of the championship series. The alleged comments focused on Mr. Kelley’s physical appearance.

Further fueling the controversy, Bogut reportedly shared an image on Twitter following Friday’s game that drew a parallel between Mr. Kelley and the character Peter Griffin from the animated series ‘Family Guy’. On Sunday evening, Bogut also alluded to the incident on his Instagram story, suggesting that Mr. Kelley had not approached him after the third match because he was heading to a fast-food establishment.

The Adelaide 36ers issued a statement on Monday morning, the day after the Sydney Kings took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five championship series. The statement, released by the club, addressed the conduct of “a Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach,” with Bogut being the sole member of the Kings’ ownership group to also serve on head coach Brian Goorjian’s staff.

The official statement from the Adelaide 36ers read: “The Adelaide 36ers are aware of persistent and repeated personal attacks by a Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach directed towards our owner Grant Kelley. The 36ers understand that body shaming is not a joke, but rather a very real source of anxiety and emotional distress for people of all genders and ages. We also stand against cyber-bullying in all its forms. Accordingly, we have today given notice to the NBL of our concerns and will address the matter further with them and other regulatory authorities during the NBL off-season.”

In response to the allegations, the Sydney Kings attributed the friction between Bogut and Kelley to the high-stakes environment of the championship series. Sydney Kings chief executive Mark Thompson stated: “Emotions run high during Championships, which we have seen from both sides over the past three games. This series is shaping up to be one of the greats, and our focus is on supporting our players, coaches, support staff, and fans, and what happens on the court is our number one priority. As a club, we do not support any commentary from either team that goes beyond the court.”

On-Court Tensions Escalate

The championship series has not only been marred by off-court disputes but has also seen significant on-court intensity. Following game three on Sunday, 36ers coach Mike Wells expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating, alleging that the referees had permitted the Sydney Kings to physically impede NBL MVP Bryce Cotton.

Wells pointed out that the Kings committed only four fouls in the second half of the game, and notably, no fouls were called on Matthew Dellavedova during his defensive efforts against Cotton, a six-time NBL MVP.

An evidently frustrated Wells commented: “The main guy that’s on Bryce Cotton had zero fouls… they literally draped all over him. If they want to beat up the MVP and take him out, that’s what the refs have allowed him to do.”

The Adelaide 36ers now face an uphill battle to secure their first championship since 2002. Their hopes hinge on a crucial game-four victory on their home court in Adelaide on Wednesday night.

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