Aussie 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 herself and Giddey dancing in a nightclub and riding in a vehicle while Giddey checked his phone.
The 23-year-old Lesko labels herself Russian, Polish and Australian in her Insta bio and is represented by modeling agencies in Australia and the U.S.
Giddey is back in Australia following the end of his NBA campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were knocked out in the second round of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Boston Celtics claimed the NBA title on Monday with a 4-1 series victory over the Mavericks.
Blonde stunner Lesko has made headlines in the past after attending the 2022 Essendon Best and Fairest Awards with Bomber Ben Hobbs.
Giddey, 21, will be a key member of Australia’s team for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
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 Giddey had an inappropriate relationship with a minor in the U.S.
In January, the Newport Beach Police Department in California announced the Aussie would not face charges after it was “unable to corroborate any criminal activity.”
The NBA then came to 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 where you don’t feel like getting out of bed” as he dealt with the investigations.
The No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft was relentlessly booed by opposition fans whenever he touched the ball once the allegations surfaced, including in the playoffs, while he received staunch support in 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, as he faced a diminished role with a promising OKC team that finished with a West-leading 57-25 record.
The point guard is hopeful his career can continue with the Thunder.
“Yeah, I love it here,” he said at season’s end. “This is a home away from home.
“I love everything about this place, the city, the fans.
“The organization top to bottom is just unbelievable people throughout the building and getting to come here to work every day is a lot of fun. It doesn’t feel like work.”
