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

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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. 

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Clark (22) attempt to go after a loose ball in the second half at Target Center on March 19, 2025. (Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images)

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," Michael Balascio said. He added that the lawsuit is