Zion Williamson is being sued by a woman describing herself as a former dating partner and who alleges the New Orleans Pelicans star committed repeated sexual violence against her.

The civil lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday night, identifies the plaintiff as “Jane Doe.” She claims she began dating Williamson in 2018, when he played at Duke, and alleges that he engaged in abusive behavior toward her in California, Louisiana and Texas from 2020 until their relationship ended in 2023.

Williamson’s New Orleans-based attorney, Michael Balascio, called the claims in the lawsuit “categorically false and reckless,” and accused the plaintiff of extortion, which he said has been reported to law enforcement.

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” Balascio said in a written statement provided to The Associated Press. “This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”