Kelli Tennant Drops Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Kings HC Luke Walton

Former sports reporter Kelli Tennant has reportedly dropped a sexual assault lawsuit against Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton.

TMZ Sports reported Tennant filed a motion to have her case dismissed with prejudice, meaning she cannot sue Walton again. There has been no indication the parties reached a settlement that led to this action, but TMZ noted "it is not uncommon in situations like this."

Tennant accused Walton of forcefully kissing her, holding her down and groping her and rubbing his penis on her leg during an encounter in a California hotel room while Walton was an assistant with the Golden State Warriors.

Walton denied all wrongdoing, and the NBA chose not to punish the coach after running its own investigation into the matter.

Tennant never filed a complaint to police. She also did not cooperate with the NBA investigation. However, she opened up about the accusations in an April press conference, saying she only told close friends and family before going public. 

"When someone assaults you and you think you're going to be raped, coming forward is a scary thing," Tennant told reporters. "I have spent years now hoping I could bury it. I was able to muster up the courage ... to talk about this."

Walton was an assistant with the Warriors from 2014-16. He is in his first season with the Kings after being fired as head coach by the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of last season.