Kevin Johnson, the former NBA star who has been dogged by renewed allegations of sexual abuse in the 1990s, has confirmed that will not seek a third term as Sacramento’s mayor.
“It was an incredibly difficult choice, but one that I feel confident about,” Johnson said in a statement. “As I’m sure there will be much speculation on this, let me proactively say that I am not leaving for another specific job or position. While there are many intriguing opportunities out there (and I’m excited to explore them) I honestly don’t know what’s next for me.”
Johnson has faced renewed media scrutiny in recent weeks over a two-decade-old case in which a teenage girl accused him of sexual abuse. In 1996, Amanda Koba accused Johnson, who was nearing the end of his NBA career with the Suns, of molesting her at his Phoenix home. The Phoenix police department investigated, but Johnson was never charged, and Koba never spoke out.
The allegations were reported by the Sacramento Bee in 2008, which said Johnson and Koba had signed a draft settlement agreement worth $230,000 in exchange for Koba’s silence. But the story was revisited last month when Deadspin published a series of articles about Koba, now 36 and living in Virginia. Koba described what happened to her and revealed why she stayed quiet for so long.
“I wasn’t allowed to talk about it,” she told Deadspin. “[But] I’ve chosen to say what I want, fully aware of the consequences.”
Johnson has consistently denied the allegations.
In the wake of the story, ESPN shelved the release of a documentary about the city’s efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento, in which Johnson featured heavily.
Johnson, a three-time NBA All-Star, was elected mayor in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Per the Sacramento Bee, his announcement came on the eve of announcement by city councilwoman Angelique Ashby that she would run for mayor. The Bee describes Ashby as a “colleague and a close political ally.”
“I leave knowing that the city is headed in the right direction and is ready to embrace the exciting changes ahead,” Johnson wrote. “And I leave knowing that my relationship with and work on behalf of the city is far from over.”
Johnson, a Democrat, was first elected mayor in 2008, when he defeated incumbent mayor Heather Fargo. He was re-elected in 2012. Johnson was the first Sacramento native to be elected mayor.
His signature achievement was leading repeated efforts to prevent the Kings moving elsewhere. That latest campaign resulted in the financing and construction of a $507m arena for the Kings downtown that is scheduled to be completed next October.
