Australian basketball star Josh Giddey has been photographed enjoying a night out with a Melbourne model and former AFL WAG.
Maki Lesko posted the photos to her 74,000 Instagram followers, showing her and Giddey dancing at a nightclub and riding in a vehicle while Giddey checked her phone.
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Lesko labels herself as Russian, Polish and Australian in her Insta bio and is represented by modeling agencies in Australia and the United States.
Giddey is back in Australia after finishing his NBA campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Boston Celtics clinched the NBA title on Tuesday with a 4-1 series victory over the Mavericks.
Blonde stunner Lesko has made headlines in the past after attending the Essendon Best and Fairest Awards 2022 with Bomber Ben Hobbs.
Giddey, 21, will be a key member of the Australian team for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
He has also been the subject of trade rumors after he was benched for the first time in his career during the top-seeded Thunder’s postseason run.
The Insta posts follow a police and NBA investigation into claims that Giddey had an inappropriate relationship with a minor in the US.
In January, the Newport Beach Police Department in California announced that the Australian would not face charges after he “was unable to corroborate any criminal activity.”
The NBA reached a similar conclusion in May, closing its own investigation days after Giddey’s season ended.
Giddey is in the third year of a four-year, $41 million contract and is eligible for an extension this offseason.
He faced the press in May and admitted there were “days when he didn’t feel like getting out of bed” while dealing with investigations.
The No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft was relentlessly booed by opposing fans every time he touched the ball once the allegations surfaced, including in the playoffs while receiving unwavering support at home games.
He averaged 12.3 points per game, along with 6.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 25.1 minutes on the court last season, all career lows, while facing a diminished role with a promising OKC team that finished with a West-leading 57-25 record.
The point guard is hopeful that his career can continue with the Thunder.
“Yeah, I love it here,” he said at the end of the season. “This is a home away from home.
“I love everything about this place, the city, the fans.
“The organization from top to bottom is amazing people throughout the building and coming here to work every day is a lot of fun. It doesn’t feel like work.”
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