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[Saba Sports News] New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson has been named as the defendant in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, accuses Williamson of rape, kidnapping, and abuse during a yearslong relationship with the plaintiff, who filed under the pseudonym Jane Doe.
According to the court documents, Doe alleges she began dating Williamson in 2018 while he was still playing at Duke. She claims that on September 23, 2020, at Williamson’s Beverly Hills residence, she was sexually assaulted after being brought there by his agent.
The filing states that after she told Williamson she was tired and wanted to sleep, he allegedly became verbally aggressive and forced her to engage in non-consensual sexual acts.
The lawsuit further alleges a second incident on October 10, 2020, where Williamson allegedly raped the plaintiff again after learning she planned to visit friends in San Diego. According to the documents, he also took her phone and laptop afterward, preventing her from seeking medical help.
“These two incidents were not isolated,” the complaint reads. It alleges a pattern of abuse spanning multiple states—including California, Louisiana, and Texas—until the relationship ended in 2023. In one instance, the plaintiff claims Williamson threatened to have his security guard kill her and allegedly pointed a loaded firearm at her during a 2022 encounter in Louisiana.
“This is a very serious case,” said the plaintiff’s attorney, Sam E. Taylor of The Lanier Law Firm, in a statement to TMZ. “Our client looks forward to her day in court to seek justice.”
Williamson’s legal team has strongly denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuit is “being taken with the utmost seriousness” but labeling the claims as “false” and “defamatory.”
“This is the plaintiff’s third set of attorneys,” Williamson’s representatives said in a statement provided to The Athletic. “This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than a legitimate grievance.”
They further claim Williamson and the plaintiff were never in a formal relationship but had a consensual, casual connection that began when he was 18.
His legal team also alleges that Williamson has previously reported what they call “extortion attempts” by the plaintiff and plans to file counterclaims seeking significant damages.
“We are confident the legal process will expose the truth and fully vindicate Mr. Williamson,” the statement concluded.
Neither the Pelicans nor the NBA have publicly commented on the lawsuit. Williamson, a two-time All-Star, just completed his fifth NBA season and is under contract with New Orleans through 2028. He is set to earn $39.4 million next season.