Lawsuit accuses Pelicans’ Zion Williamson of rape

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was accused of rape in a lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles, the New York Post reported on Friday.
In the suit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the woman — identified as Jane Doe — alleges Williamson sexually assaulted her twice in 2020.
The plaintiff, who claims to be the NBA forward’s ex-girlfriend, alleges there was a pattern of “abusive, controlling and threatening behavior” toward her that occurred in California, Louisiana and other states.
Williamson, 24, also is accused of threatening to have his security personnel shoot Doe in the head and have her parents killed, according to the report.
“Our client is very adamant about this — it’s not her desire or our desire to litigate this case in the press,” Doe’s attorney, Sam Taylor with the Lanier Law Firm, told the Post on Friday. “It’s a very serious case, as reflected in the allegations. Our client looks forward to her day in court where she can go and explain to a jury what happened to her, the things she endured for this defendant and getting justice.”
Williamson’s representatives did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
As of Friday afternoon, the Pelicans had not commented publicly on the allegations.
Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke, is a two-time All-Star with career averages of 24.7 points, 6.6rebounds and 4.3 assists in 214 games (all starts) with the Pelicans.