Ex-NBA lottery pick Noah Vonleh is on a “malicious harassment, defamation, and extortion campaign” against his former sports agency, the organization’s legal team told TMZ Sports on Monday.
Noah Vonleh Claims The Chinese Basketball Association’s Shanghai Sharks, Pensack Sports Agency Failed To Pay Him
Vonleh, 29, has called out the Chinese Basketball Association’s Shanghai Sharks and the Pensack Sports agency on social media in the past, claiming the team and his reps stiffed him out of money he was owed.
The 6-foot-10 Vonleh also posted a video to his social media page, attempting to display mistreatment at the hands of the Sharks after his contract was terminated in February 2024.
However, according to the agency, Vonleh is the one who owes $235,000 after Pensack Sports won an arbitration case against him for unpaid agent fees.
“Mr. Vonleh did not appeal the decision after he lost and has yet to pay the amount owed,” Attorney Mitch Schuster told TMZ Sports during an exclusive interview.
“Since the ruling, in an effort to avoid his financial obligation, Mr. Vonleh has engaged in a malicious harassment, defamation, and extortion campaign in which he has made blatantly false accusations against Pensack Sports.”
Schuster Says Vonleh Paid Social Media Aggregators To Fabricate Stories For The Former NBA Player
In addition, Schuster told the media outlet that Vonleh has paid social media aggregators to promote his side of the story, but those posts were later removed due to false information.
Schuster also says the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) reached out to assist Vonleh, but the former NBA player refused to cooperate.
Federal court will now get to hear the case, and Pensack Sports expects to receive the money the agency is owed based on the arbitration award it won against Vonleh.
“Despite the ongoing harassment, defamation, and extortion Mr. Vonleh has directed towards my client, Pensack Sports remains committed to resolving this matter through the proper legal channels,” Schuster added.
Vonleh was selected No. 9 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014 NBA draft out of Indiana University. He’s also played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.
In 362 career NBA regular-season games (172 starts), the Massachusetts native averaged 4.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 16.2 minutes per contest while shooting 45.9% from the field, 30.7% from 3-point range, and 69.2% at the foul line.
