Lawsuit accuses former Los Angeles Lakers star Byron Scott of sexually assaulting teen girl in 1987
In 2015, then-head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Byron Scott, is seen giving instructions during a game. He is now facing a lawsuit from a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her at a high school team event in 1987, when he was 26 years old and she was just 15.
LOS ANGELES — A woman has filed a lawsuit against former Los Angeles Lakers player and coach Byron Scott, alleging he sexually assaulted her during a 1987 team visit to her high school, when he was 26 and she was 15.
Originally submitted in December 2022 and amended on May 1, the lawsuit accuses Scott of sexual battery and false imprisonment. Now 64, Scott attempted to keep his identity concealed under the name “John Doe,” but a judge rejected that motion, and the revised filing publicly names him for the first time.
According to court documents, the incident occurred while the alleged victim was taking summer classes at Campbell Hall High School in Los Angeles. The lawsuit claims Scott, then a Lakers player, assaulted her in a locked janitor’s closet inside the school gym during the visit.
The lawsuit was initiated in 2022 under a California law that temporarily allowed survivors of childhood sexual abuse to bring forward older cases. Under that law, the accused’s identity remained confidential until specific legal criteria were met.
Byron Scott’s attorney, Linda Bauermeister, acknowledged that sexual contact took place but asserted that Scott believed the girl was of legal age at the time.
“Our client is heartbroken over this allegation,” Bauermeister said in a statement released Wednesday. “He believed the plaintiff was over 18 and had no idea she would say otherwise more than three decades later. He has always respected women and girls, and this accusation has come as a complete shock to him and his family.”
At the time of the alleged incident, Scott was married to his first wife, Anita Scott, with whom he had three children. The couple divorced in 2014.
The lawsuit claims that the alleged assault took place in the summer of 1987, when the Los Angeles Lakers visited the school to film a basketball instructional video in the gym and engage with students, parents, and faculty members.
In August of the previous year, a judge ruled that Scott’s identity could be made public, and the plaintiffs’ attorneys subsequently filed an amended complaint last week, officially naming him.
The lawsuit also names Campbell Hall High School, accusing school officials of negligence for failing to protect the girl. The plaintiffs are seeking over $25,000 in damages, including compensation for lost earnings and attorney fees, to be paid by both Scott and the school. A request for comment on the lawsuit was sent to school officials on Wednesday.
Scott, a shooting guard, won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985, 1987, and 1988 during the iconic “Showtime” era. He led the team in scoring during the 1987-88 season with a career-high 21.7 points per game.
In addition to his time with the Lakers, Scott also played for the Indiana Pacers and Vancouver Grizzlies before returning to the Lakers for his final playing season in 1996-97. During this time, he was a respected mentor to players such as Shaquille O’Neal and 18-year-old rookie Kobe Bryant, whom he later coached. Scott’s coaching career spanned from 1998 to 2016, including a head coaching role with the Lakers. He is currently coaching in the Philippines.
Scott is now married to Cece Gutierrez, who appeared on the “Basketball Wives” reality show.
(Note: The Associated Press typically does not disclose the identities of sexual assault victims.)
