Zion Williamson has a very different description of the relationship at the center of a serious legal battle.
The NBA star says he and the woman accusing him of rape were simply “friends with benefits.” Yes, that phrase has now entered the courtroom.
According to new legal documents reported by TMZ, Williamson denies every allegation made against him. He says he never assaulted or harmed the woman and insists their relationship was consensual.
Basically, Williamson’s version of events is: casual relationship, no assault, no domestic relationship, and absolutely no romance worthy of a dramatic Netflix series.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the New Orleans Pelicans star issued a general denial of every allegation in the Jane Doe’s complaint and claims she was NOT harmed by him in any way.
Zion says the two never lived together and their interactions were “pleasant and consensual” … insisting there was never any assault or sexual battery.
He describes their sexual relationship as “friendly and casual,” claiming Doe repeatedly tried to initiate sex while he was often unavailable or out of town.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, has accused Williamson of rape, sexual battery, assault, domestic violence and other misconduct. She has described the relationship as involving alleged abuse and controlling behavior. Those allegations have not been established as facts in court.
Zion says the relationship was over by May 2023 and argues her claims for assault, battery, sexual battery, domestic violence and stalking are all barred by the applicable statutes of limitations.
He also calls the domestic violence claim “nonsensical,” arguing they never lived together or interacted frequently enough for their relationship to be considered domestic.
Zion further argues California laws covering sexual battery, domestic violence and stalking do not apply to the alleged interactions in North Carolina, Texas and Louisiana. He maintains no such conduct occurred in those states, California or anywhere else.
For now, Williamson is making his position very clear. He says there was a consensual relationship, that he never assaulted the woman, and that the lawsuit should be dismissed.
The case will have to sort through the competing accounts.
Apparently, “friends with benefits” has officially graduated from messy relationship terminology to courtroom vocabulary.
And that is one relationship status nobody was expecting to see in legal documents.
