Teen athletes accuse disgraced basketball star of sexual assault

Two talented teenage athletes living in the same city, both passionately devoted to their sports. 

They had never met until a shared trauma brought them together to seek justice against the same man.

Ally and Peta are confronting the horrific legacy of former Perth Wildcats star Kendal “Tiny” Pinder, the disgraced NBL icon whose criminal record for predatory sexual offences spans more than five decades.

“Together we can probably be the biggest power in ending his career criminal path,” Peta says.

Standing at 6 ft 8, the former Harlem Globetrotter arrived in Australia in the 1980s as basketball royalty, helping lead the Perth Wildcats to their first-ever NBL championship.

But behind the slam dunks and fan adulation, Pinder arrived with a dark history – including a prior sexual offence conviction involving a teenage girl in the United States.

That conviction was a precursor to decades of predatory behaviour in Australia, culminating in multiple rape convictions, stalking charges, and extended prison time.

Former teammate Cal Bruton recalls picking Pinder up after a 1990 arrest.

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“I had to go pick him up from the prison because the bosses gave me a cheque and told me I got to be the one to go take it there,” Bruton says.

“And then from that point on, time to finish the season... didn’t hear no more about it.”

Ally alleges Pinder sexually assaulted her twice – first in his car, and again at his home.

“He pushed me back onto the bed and then attacked me properly,” Ally says, breaking down.

Peta, who was 17 at the time of her alleged assault at Pinder’s flat and sports store, describes a terrifying ordeal:

“Completely helpless. Hand over my mouth. I couldn’t make a sound,” she said.

Peta says she became pregnant as a result of the abuse and had to undergo a hospital termination.

“It’s very difficult and I’ve lived with it for a very long time,” she says.

Neither woman reported the abuse at the time. When asked why, Peta explains: “I think at that time he was too high up on a pedestal.”

Despite his conviction for sexual offences against women in NSW, Pinder was allowed to remain in Australia, successfully fighting visa cancellation in 2017 with character references from figureheads in Australian basketball.

Cal Bruton, who provided support, insists his actions were strictly for Pinder’s family.

“His son Keanu asked me if I could help his dad... I haven’t had any contact with him (Kendal Pinder) whatsoever since,” Bruton says.

Andrew Lazaris, an Order of Australia recipient, also penned a character reference.

“I had to write him a character reference for the way he treated me... if ever I asked him to come help kids out, he was always there for them,” he said.

While Lazaris maintains he does not support sexual offenders, he remains one of Pinder’s few remaining contacts.

As Pinder prepares for potential parole in October, his Australian visa has been officially cancelled, setting the stage for deportation to the Bahamas or the US. However, his legal troubles may be far from over.

WA Police recently visited Pinder in his NSW prison cell. 

Ally has resubmitted a historical rape complaint first filed in 2019 – a case that was delayed while Pinder served time for other offences. 

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Authorities may arrest the 70-year-old as he walks out of prison to face extradition back to Perth.

Pinder, however, remains unrepentant. Speaking on the new claims, he stated:

“What would I talk to them for? I’ve got God on my side.”

For Ally, Peta, and three other women who have since come forward, the goal is not just legal accountability, but solidarity.

“He belongs behind bars. He’s a really dangerous man and should never be out,” Peta says. 

“All of us together, hopefully, we can have the outcome that we want and move on with our lives.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).