Zion Williamson Accused of Rape and Abusive Behavior in New Lawsuit

A woman has filed a lawsuit against New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, accusing him of rape and "abusive, controlling, and threatening behavior."

As first reported by Eriq Gardner of Puck News, a Jane Doe submitted a lawsuit against Willimson to Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, May 29. As alleged in the filing, the anonymous woman began dating Williamson "in or around 2018" when the Pelicans player was a Freshman at Duke University. "[Williamson] remained in a dating relationship with [Doe] from 2018 through June 2023," the lawsuit alleges.

The woman has accused Williamson of engaging in "a continuing pattern of abusive, controlling, and threatening behavior" throughout the relationship. "His wrongful conduct occurred in Louisiana and continued thereafter across several states," the filing continues. "The abuse was sexual, physical, emotional, and financial in nature."

The lawsuit details an alleged incident that happened "on or about September 23, 2020," in which Williamson "raped and assaulted" the woman. "Plaintiff told Defendant that she was tired and wanted to go to sleep," the lawsuit reads. "Defendant called Plaintiff 'stuck up' and a 'bitch' and told her that she could not go to sleep without having sex with him. Plaintiff told Defendant 'no.' Defendant pinned Plaintiff down on the bed with her hands behind her back and raped her." She has accused him of raping her again on October 10 and taking her phone away following the alleged assault.

Doe, who is represented by high-profile attorney Mark Lainer, also accused Williamson of "threatening to have his paid security guard shoot [her] in the head," and "threatening to have his paid security guard kill [her] parents." He also allegedly monitored her location "at all hours," and harassed her with constant phone calls and "sending his friends to follow her."

As reported by TMZ, she claimed that he strangled her "with such force that she reasonably feared for her life and eventually lost consciousness" multiple times during their relationship. Other accusations included in the lawsuit include kidnapping her by forcing her into his car and stopping her from exiting the vehicle. "When many of the wrongful acts were committed, [Williamson] was either drunk or on cocaine," the lawsuit adds.

Complex has reached out to Doe's legal representation for comment.