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Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit
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- Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit
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The post Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit appeared first on ClutchPoints .
New Orleans Pelicans ' star forward Zion Williamson is facing legal trouble, as he's in a lawsuit facing rape allegations. The organization has been quiet about the allegations so far; however, on Tuesday, team owner Gayle Benson broke her silence and addressed the situation.
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While talking with reporters of WWL-TV, an affiliate of CBS News based in New Orleans, Benson sort of brushed Williamson's lawsuit off her shoulders , claiming that people sue others for all sorts of reasons. Zion Williamson is innocent until proven guilty, and that's the exact approach the Pelicans' owner is taking on this matter. Benson is seemingly supporting Williamson with the lawsuit ongoing.
"You know, lawsuits are lawsuits… People can sue for anything. There's no reason. You can be innocent or not. So, it's just something that people do. Unfortunately."
Zion Williamson faces serous allegations that involve rape, physical assault, and death threats. Shortly after the lawsuit was made public, Williamson's legal team issued a statement, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations while also denying them, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic.
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"We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them," Williamson's legal team said in a statement. "The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. This is the plaintiff's third set of attorneys. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance."
The 24-year-old forward has not made any public statements regarding the allegations. Instead, Zion Williamson is letting his legal team take charge of the lawsuit. In the meantime, the Pelicans star is involved in trade rumors with the offseason quickly approaching.
Williamson played just 30 games for New Orleans this season as he's been dealing with a bone bruise in his lower back. However, when healthy, he is undeniably one of the best players on the court. Zion Williamson ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 56.7% from the floor and 23.1% from the three-point line.
