Warning: This story contains details about alleged sexual abuse.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson has emerged as one of the NBA’s biggest stars in recent years. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson’s game — replete with efficient paint production and high-flying jams — has garnered more headlines than most over the past few years.
On Friday, he drew attention for an entirely different reason. The New Orleans standout was made the subject of a civil lawsuit on Thursday.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles, claims that Williamson raped, kidnapped and assaulted a former girlfriend multiple times throughout their five-year relationship.
Here’s what you need to know.
Zion Williamson sexual assault allegations
The lawsuit, issued on May 29, claims Williamson raped and physically abused an unnamed woman, said to be his former girlfriend.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe in the filing, claims to have started dating Williamson around 2018 while he attended Duke. She alleged that the two remained in a relationship until June 2023.
The filing alleges that Williamson raped the woman twice in 2020. The first incident is said to have occurred in Beverly Hills, the place Williamson lived in during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the lawsuit, on Sept. 3, 2020, the woman went to Williamson’s house after being picked up by a person described in the lawsuit as Williamson’s agent. The complaint claims that upon Williamson’s return to the home, she tried leaving the premises, at which point Williamson insulted her and demanded sex.
When she refused, Williamson “pinned the Plaintiff down on the bed with her hands behind her back and raped her,” the lawsuit declares. He’s then alleged of preventing her from accessing her phone and choking her.
The filing also alleges that Williamson raped Jane Doe on Oct. 10, 2020. That incident reportedly stemmed from the woman wanting to visit friends in San Diego.
Williamson allegedly picked up Doe, slammed her on the floor and sexually assaulted her, the lawsuit claims. He’s accused to have then taken Doe’s phone and laptop, preventing her from reporting the alleged assault or seeking adequate medical care for her injuries.
“These two incidents were not isolated,” the lawsuit reads. “[Williamson] continued to abuse, rape, assault and batter Plaintiff in California and other states, including Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.”
Williamson is also accused of assaulting Doe on multiple occasions. The lawsuit claims Williamson strangled the woman into unconsciousness “multiple times” between 2020 and 2023. He’s also said to have had his security guard threaten to shoot her in the head “multiple times” and threaten to kill her parents, the filing claims.
She cited one such incident in 2022 in Louisiana. According to the lawsuit, Williamson pointed a loaded firearm at her head, “causing her to reasonably fear for her life.”
He’s alleged to have beat the accuser with his hands and feet as well as “intentionally imprisoning her” in cars while attempting to transport her from her apartment to other locations. The lawsuit states that one time Williamson hit her head with the car door when she tried to escape, causing her to lose consciousness.
According to the suit, many of the alleged indiscretions took place while Williamson “was either drunk or on cocaine.”
“We and our client do not want to litigate this case in the press,” Jane Doe’s attorney, Sam E. Taylor of The Lanier Law Firm, told The Daily Mail in a statement. “However, I will say this is a very serious case as reflected in the Complaint filed in Los Angeles County. Our client looks forward to her day in court before a jury of her peers to obtain justice in this matter.”
What is Zion Williamson’s legal team saying?
Williamson’s attorney responded to the allegations, labeling the claims as “categorically false and reckless.”
“The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless,” Williamson’s attorney told TMZ. “This is the plaintiff’s third set of attorneys. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”
“Mr. Williamson and the plaintiff never dated, but did maintain a consensual, casual relationship that began more than six years ago, when he was 18 years old. That relationship ended years ago. At no point during or immediately after that relationship did the plaintiff raise any concerns. Only after the friendship ended did she begin demanding millions of dollars.”
Williamson’s attorney claimed that Williamson filed a police report against Doe for extortion. They also alleged that an arrest warrant was issued. Williamson will file a counterclaim and seek “significant” damages for Doe’s lawsuit, his attorney said.
“While these allegations are false, we recognize the seriousness of the claims and welcome the opportunity to prove the truth in court. We are confident that the legal process will expose the truth and fully vindicate Mr. Williamson.”
