Byron Scott Faces Sexual Assault Lawsuit
A woman has sued former Los Angeles Lakers player and coach Byron Scott, accusing him of sexual assault during a team event at her high school in 1987. At the time, Scott was 26 years old and the plaintiff was 15.
The lawsuit, initially filed in December 2022 and amended in May, accuses Scott of sexual assault and false imprisonment. Scott, 64, tried to have his name removed from court documents, but a judge denied his request.
According to the complaint, the alleged victim was attending summer classes at Campbell Hall High in Los Angeles when she was sexually assaulted by Byron Scott in a locked janitor’s closet in the school gym. Scott was a Lakers player at the time.
The lawsuit was filed in 2022 under a California law that temporarily allowed the filing of old cases for underage plaintiffs. That law required the defendant to remain anonymous until certain thresholds were met.
Our client is devastated by this claim. He believed the plaintiff was over 18 and had no idea she would claim otherwise until 35 years later. He respects girls and women, and the accusations have left him and his family stunned.
Linda Bauermeister, attorney for Byron Scott
Scott’s lawyer, Linda Bauermeister, stated that her client does not deny that sexual contact occurred, but maintains that he thought the young woman was of legal age.
Scott was married to his first wife, Anita Scott, at the time of the alleged assault. They had three children and divorced in 2014.
The lawsuit indicates that the assault occurred in the summer of 1987, when the Lakers visited the school to film a basketball instructional video in the gymnasium and meet with students, parents, and faculty members.
A judge ruled last August that Scott could be identified, and last week the plaintiffs’ lawyers filed the amended complaint naming Scott.
The lawsuit also names Campbell Hall High, accusing school officials of negligence for failing to protect the young woman. It demands a jury trial and more than $25,000 in damages, including lost earnings and attorney’s fees, to be paid by Scott and the school. A message was sent to school officials on Wednesday seeking comment on the lawsuit.
Scott, a shooting guard, won NBA championships in 1985, 1987, and 1988 as part of the Lakers’ “Showtime” era. He led the team in scoring with a career-high 21.7 points in 1987-88.
Scott also played for the Indiana Pacers and the Vancouver Grizzlies before returning to the Lakers for the 1996-97 season, his last as a player in the league. He was a valuable mentor to a team that featured Shaquille O’Neal and 18-year-old rookie Kobe Bryant. Scott later coached Bryant with the Lakers.
He coached in the NBA from 1998 to 2016, including a period as head coach of the Lakers. He currently coaches in the Philippines.
Scott is currently married to Cece Gutierrez, who has appeared on the reality show “Basketball Wives”.
