Josh Giddy of the OKC Thunder was booed again in Utah this Thursday, despite a recent police investigation that cleared him of allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors. The incident sparked heated debate online, with fans highlighting the obvious irony given the Utah Jazz's own controversial past history with Karl Malone.

Giddy, a 21-year-old guard, has been under investigation by police since November 2023. While the case was closed after no evidence was found to substantiate the allegations, the player is still under review by the NBA. Despite the lack of charges, the booing continued in Utah, which prompted fans to lash out at the hypocrisy.

Ironically, Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone had faced charges in 1989 for allegedly fathering a child with a 13-year-old girl when he was a 20-year-old student. The stark contrast sparked online comments, with fans such as @themdarncowboys writing, "Utah fans booing Josh Giddiddy is the biggest irony of all, laughing my arse off."

Others such as @edeturuk pointed out, "The irony Frank points out is that Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone has a similar history to Josh Giddy."

The NBA followed its policy and took no action against Giddy until the police investigation was complete. Commissioner Adam Silver clarified in December, "In situations where there is a criminal investigation, we take a step back. So if there are allegations, there is an ongoing criminal investigation. That affects how the players and the players' association work with us because the players, of course, need to protect their rights."

It remains to be seen what the NBA's next move will be regarding Giddy as the police investigation concludes. The incident brings to light the complexity and potential for inconsistency in dealing with such allegations, especially when compared to what Malone and others have done in the past.