Luke Walton, head coach to the NBA's Sacramento Kings, has been accused of sexual assault by a sports journalist ©Getty Images

An American sports journalist is suing a National Basketball Association (NBA) coach for allegedly sexually assaulting her in 2014.

Kelli Tennant alleges Luke Walton, head coach of Sacramento Kings, forced himself on her in a California hotel room.

US media reports quote her as saying: "He kissed my neck and face and chest.

“And as I asked him to please stop and get off, he laughed at me.”

In a statement, Walton's lawyer said the lawsuit amounted to "baseless" claims by an "opportunist".

Luke Walton, who took over as head coach of the NBA's Sacramento Kings earlier this month, has been accused of sexual assault by a sports journalist with whom he had a
Luke Walton, who took over as head coach of the NBA's Sacramento Kings earlier this month, has been accused of sexual assault by a sports journalist with whom he had a "working relationship" ©Getty Images

According to the legal action obtained by US media, Tennant met Walton in his suite at Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica to give him a copy of her 2014 book.

Walton had written the foreword to the publication, 'The Transition: Every Athlete's Guide to Life After Sports'.

The pair reportedly had a working relationship, stemming from Walton's time as a guest on Spectrum SportsNet, a US regional cable sports channel where Tennant used to work.

The legal action says Tennant had viewed Walton as a "trusted mentor and colleague".

At a news conference today, Tennant said Walton held her arms down "with all of his weight".

Tennant added that she was 25 at the time of the alleged assault and had been in her job for less than a year.

"I was scared and felt coming forward would jeopardise every aspect of my life," she said.