Kings’ mishandling of Richaun Holmes allegations shows NBA still downplays domestic abuse
Two years ago, the Sacramento Kings made a pledge to the Black community that the organization would “engage in uncomfortable conversations” and educate itself to combat bias. Given how the franchise bungled its response to allegations of domestic violence against fan favorite Richaun Holmes, it’s clear that the work required to honor such promises is far from done.
The team’s front office chose to end Holmes’ season more than a month early for what it called “personal reasons,” allowing sympathetic fans and media to speculate about whether it was due to a mental health issue or the big man’s grief over the recent death of a loved one. But as The Bee’s Robin Epley reported last week, the “personal reasons” were allegations of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, Allexis Holmes.
The Kings declined multiple requests for comment, responding only after The Bee broke the story. And when it did finally comment, the team tried to gaslight fans with an empty statement.
“The entire Sacramento Kings organization would like to express our strong stance against any form of assault and domestic violence,” it read. “We respect the legal process and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
On Wednesday, a Sacramento County Superior Court judge dismissed Allexis Holmes’ request for a restraining order against her ex-husband, sending the matter back to Los Angeles County, where a separate case is underway. While the legal process unfolds, the Sacramento community would be right to question a franchise that prioritized the reputation of its brand and its financial interests over acknowledging the truth about Holmes’ hiatus. As Epley reported, the NBA has a long and troubling history of inaction on domestic violence, and the Kings further sullied that legacy by attempting to suppress the real reason Holmes was shelved.
Regardless of the outcome in the courts, victims of abuse likely see shades of their own experiences in Allexis Holmes’ struggle to protect her 6-year-old son and get a fresh start.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Monte McNair have demonstrated that they can make uncomfortable decisions such as firing a head coach midseason and dispassionately trading away beloved young players. But the front office’s handling of the Richaun Holmes allegations indicates a disturbing willingness to protect the brand at all costs, even if it means sidestepping the “uncomfortable conversations” the Kings claimed they were willing to have.
Reducing domestic violence is the kind of social justice issue the Kings pretended to care about. Research shows it disproportionately affects women, people of color, the LGBTQ community and lower-income households. To be opaque with fans and the public about such an allegation furthers systemic biases.
Officials across the Sacramento region eagerly emptied their political nest eggs eight years ago to build the Golden 1 Center and keep the NBA’s most playoff-averse franchise in the California capital. As a result, Sacramento taxpayers are linked to the Kings for years to come. Honoring that commitment requires the team to act against biases instead of perpetuating them.
Dealing with domestic violence and empowering its victims requires institutions like the Kings to respect the gravity of the issue, not put up a wall of silence. Coming clean would have been uncomfortable and difficult for Sacramento and the Kings, but it’s a much better way for allegations to come to light.
Standing up for justice isn’t supposed to be easy or convenient. The way the Kings handled the allegations against Holmes was an embarrassment to a city that tirelessly supports this team, and it made a mockery of the values the franchise and the NBA eagerly promote.
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This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.