The NBA is facing scrutiny after it was revealed that the league never interviewed Sofia Jamora, the woman who accused Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes of assault in 2021. This incident led to Hayes’ arrest on domestic violence charges while he was playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Despite Hayes pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and resisting an officer, the NBA did not discipline him. This decision has raised questions about the thoroughness of the league’s investigation.
According to Jamora’s attorneys, Waukeen McCoy and Laura Stone, the NBA’s legal department reached out once but did not follow up, leaving them feeling that the investigation was incomplete. Per ESPN:
Waukeen McCoy and Laura Stone, attorneys for Hayes’ former girlfriend, Sofia Jamora, said they remember receiving a call from a person in the NBA’s legal department investigating the incident. McCoy said he returned the call and left a message but never heard back.
“They didn’t follow up with me,” he said. “If they were actually doing a thorough investigation, they would have reached out to her lawyer and obtained info from us.”
The situation has come under renewed attention after TMZ released a video showing the altercation between Hayes and Jamora. The footage shows Hayes blocking Jamora from leaving, pulling her through a door, and later pushing and spitting at her.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass stated that an investigator had reached out multiple times to Jamora’s representative but did not receive a response. However, Jamora’s legal team disputes this, claiming they were willing to cooperate but were not contacted again.
As the investigation reopens, the NBA’s handling of the case will be closely watched, with many calling for a more thorough and transparent process to ensure justice and accountability.
