Zion Williamson receives bad news amid rape allegations; Pelicans star asked to prepare for change

Zion Williamson was accused of rape in a lawsuit filed this week in a Los Angeles court

Published on: May 31, 2025, 02:35:49 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Zion Williamson was accused of rape in a lawsuit filed this week in a Los Angeles court, the New York Post reported on Friday, citing the filing. The woman, identified as Jane Doe, alleges that the New Orleans Pelicans star sexually assaulted her twice in 2020. Williamson is yet to respond to the accusations.

Zion Williamson has been accused of rape and sexual assault (AP)

The plaintiff claims she is the NBA star's ex-girlfriend. She pointed out at a pattern of ‘abusive, controlling and threatening behavior’. Williamson has also been 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.”

While the Pelicans have not responded to the claims yet, Zion Williamson has been hit with some bad news. The NBA side, which endured a horrible last season, is reportedly willing to let go of any player on the roster. New head of basketball operations Joe Dumars reportedly admitted that no one is ‘untouchable’.

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, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 214 games (all starts) with the Pelicans. New Orleans is yet to determine if it wants to pursue a trade for the forward.

According to a statement from Zion Williamson’s attorneys: “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them. The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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