New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson has been accused of rape in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on behalf of a woman who said she was the Duke product's former girlfriend.
The complaint, which was filed Thursday, includes allegations of Williamson raping the woman twice in 2020. Williamson and the woman, who is identified only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, were in a relationship that lasted from 2018-23, according to the lawsuit.
The law firm that represents Williamson, Barrasso Udin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver LLC, denied the allegations in a statement issued on behalf of the Pelicans star.
"We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them," the statement said. "The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. 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."
The law firm's statement claims Williamson and the unidentified woman "never dated."
"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," the statement said. "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."
The law firm's statement said Williamson reported 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," the statement said.
Williamson plans to file a counter lawsuit and seek damages for what his attorneys describe is the unidentified woman's "defamatory lawsuit."
Jane Doe's lawsuit claims that Williamson raped and assaulted her "on or about Sept. 23, 2020" after she was picked up by the basketball player's agent from a hotel and taken to Williamson's home in Beverly Hills. The filing says that Williamson was not at home when she arrived, and that she attempted to leave the residence after his arrival.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff claims that Williamson told her that "she could not go to sleep without having sex with him." She said that she told the Pelicans forward, "No," before she was raped by Williamson.
The plaintiff said in the complaint that she was raped by Williamson a second time on Oct. 20, 2020, in Beverly Hills. She claims that Williamson became angry when he was informed that she was considering visiting a friend in San Diego, and that he threw her to the ground before pinning her shoulders to the floor and raping her.
The lawsuit goes on to accuse Williamson of continuing to "abuse, rape, assault and batter" the woman in multiple other states, including Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship came to an end in 2023. The plaintiff accuses Williamson of strangling, kicking and striking her on multiple occasions, including instances where she lost consciousness while being strangled.
The filing was provided to The Times-Picayune by The Lanier Law Firm, which is representing the unidentified woman.
"We and our client don't want to litigate this in the press," said Sam Taylor, an attorney representing Jane Doe. "This is a very serious case as reflected in the allegations."
The Pelicans didn't immediately respond with a comment on the allegations brought forward in the lawsuit.
Williamson was chosen by the Pelicans with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, and he was entering his second season with the team during the period of time when the plaintiff said the rapes occurred.
The start of the 2020-21 season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic until late December.
Williamson, 24, is entering his seventh season in what has been an injury-plagued stint with the Pelicans. He has played in just 214 games during his NBA career, missing the 2021-22 season entirely.
During the 2024-25 season, Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists over 30 games played.
