Pelicans star Zion Williamson faces rape, abuse allegations in new lawsuit

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson was accused in a lawsuit filed in California on Thursday of raping a woman on two separate occasions. The two-time NBA All-Star has denied those allegations. 

The assault accusations were first reported Friday by Eriq Gardner of Puck. According to the lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the woman claimed she was in a relationship with Williamson while he played basketball at Duke. 

The pair allegedly dated from 2018 to 2023, where she claimed Williamson engaged in a "pattern of abusive, controlling, and threatening behavior," Gardner reported, sharing an excerpt of the lawsuit. 

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The New York Post also reported that alleged assaults took place in 2020. According to the report, in one instance, the woman claimed Williamson "picked her up, threw her down to the ground, and pinned her shoulders down so she could not move," and then he allegedly "violently raped Plaintiff in multiple ways."

The woman also claimed that Williamson used abusive language when she refused to be intimate with him. 

In a statement from Williamson's attorneys shared by the Pelicans, the NBA star denied all allegations. 

"We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them. The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless," the statement read. Williamson's attorneys added that the lawsuit is "an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance." 

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"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."

According to his attorneys, Williamson reported the "extortion attempts" to law enforcement.

"We understand that an arrest warrant was issued in connection with that report, and we are prepared to provide the court with documentation that supports these facts. Mr. Williamson also intends to file counterclaims and seek significant damages for this defamatory lawsuit. 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." 

Williamson, 24, was the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Despite a career marred by a lengthy injury history, Williamson would go on to become a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

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