Pelicans VP commits to Zion Williamson's future with team despite lawsuit alleging rape, abuse

"I've had really good conversations with Zion," Dumars told the outlet. "We've had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We've done it all. I've had some real honest conversations with him. Some real direct and honest conversations. 

"We're going to go forward with Zion," he continued. "He's going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward."

The lawsuit accused Williamson of rape on two separate occasions in 2020. 

She also claimed Williamson used abusive language when she refused to be intimate with him. 

Williamson denied the allegations in a statement from his attorneys that called the lawsuit "an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance." 

"We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them. The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless," the statement said. 

Dumars told The Times-Picayune he had "been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues," but team owner Gayle Benson addressed the matter Tuesday, saying, "Lawsuits are lawsuits." 

Williamson, 24, was the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Despite a career marred by a lengthy injury history, Williamson has averaged 24.7 points per game. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.