Zion Williamson denies rape and abuse allegations in court filing

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has filed a formal response in Los Angeles Superior Court denying allegations of rape and abuse. In the legal filing, Williamson rejects the claims made by an unnamed woman, describing their relationship as a consensual, “friendly and casual” arrangement characterized as “friends with benefits.”

The plaintiff, who filed the lawsuit in May 2025, alleges that the relationship began in 2018 while Williamson was a student at Duke. The complaint includes accusations of rape occurring in 2020, as well as claims of strangulation, stalking, and domestic violence across California, Louisiana, and Texas. The accuser alleges that Williamson prevented her from seeking medical help by taking her electronic devices.

Williamson’s legal team is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that several claims are barred by the statute of limitations. They also contend that the domestic violence allegations are invalid because the two parties never lived together. None of the allegations have been proven in court.