Zion Williamson Denies Rape Allegations in Legal Battle

Zion Williamson has formally pushed back against a lawsuit accusing him of rape and years of abuse, describing the relationship at the center of the case as nothing more than a consensual “friends with benefits” arrangement.

In new legal filings obtained by TMZ, the New Orleans Pelicans star issues a blanket denial of every allegation in the Jane Doe complaint. He states that the woman “was not harmed” by him in any way and rejects any claim of assault, sexual battery, or domestic violence.

Williamson characterizes the pair’s connection as “pleasant and consensual,” saying they never lived together and never shared anything resembling a domestic partnership. He describes their sexual relationship as “friendly and casual,” and claims Doe repeatedly tried to initiate sex at times when he was either unavailable or out of town.

According to the filings, Williamson says the relationship ended by May 2023. From there, his legal team attacks the lawsuit on multiple fronts. They argue that her claims of assault, battery, sexual battery, domestic violence, and stalking are all blocked by the applicable statutes of limitations. He labels the domestic violence allegation “nonsensical,” insisting their contact was too limited and informal to qualify as a domestic relationship under the law.

Jurisdiction also sits at the heart of his defense. Williamson argues that California statutes governing sexual battery, domestic violence, and stalking do not apply to alleged conduct in North Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana. He maintains that no such wrongful conduct occurred in any of those states, in California, or anywhere else.

The lawsuit, first reported by TMZ, accuses Williamson of raping and terrorizing the woman over a period of several years. He has consistently denied those accusations and previously claimed she is attempting to extort him.

The legal battle now moves from public accusation to the slower, sharper arena of the courts, where every detail of that relationship will be tested against the record.