Zion Williamson has broken his silence in the lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and abuse, and he is firmly denying the allegations.
According to a report obtained by TMZ, Williamson characterized his relationship with the woman as a consensual “friends with benefits” arrangement rather than a romantic one. He also denied that he ever physically abused her, with his legal filings including a general denial of physical or sexual harm.
The lawsuit, filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe, alleges a relationship that began in 2018, when Williamson was still at Duke. The complaint says the abuse started around 2020 and claims the incidents took place in Southern California, California, and Louisiana before the relationship ended in 2023.
The suit also says Williamson “strangled the woman “with such force that she reasonably feared for her life and eventually lost consciousness…multiple times between 2020 and 2023 in California and Louisiana.” Jane Doe further alleged that Williamson reeked of alcohol during the first disturbance.
Williamson is also arguing that the claims should be thrown out because of the statute of limitations, since he says the relationship ended by May 2023. He additionally contends that the interactions were too infrequent to qualify as a domestic relationship.
He had mostly stayed quiet after the allegations surfaced, but his latest response marks his first public pushback. And while this case is now front and center, it is only the latest off-court headline tied to Williamson, who was also linked last year to an OnlyFans girl who said he was the father of her child.
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