Former LA Lakers star Byron Scott is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in 1987 while visiting her private school for a team event.
Byron Scott, a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers during their legendary Showtime era, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in 1987 while he was a married man and a player for the team.
The allegations, detailed in a lawsuit obtained by the Daily Mail, describe a disturbing encounter in a locked janitor’s closet at an exclusive Los Angeles private school.
The accuser, Hayley Dylan (then Hayley Mendell), has chosen to come forward publicly after decades, naming both Scott and Campbell Hall School, where the alleged assault took place, in the lawsuit.
In the summer of 1987, Scott, then 26, was at Campbell Hall filming an instructional basketball video with the Lakers. Dylan, a 15-year-old student taking a summer math class, was invited to stay behind after other students and parents were asked to leave the gym.
According to the lawsuit, Scott isolated Dylan, first by having lunch with her, then asking for a tour of the school’s facilities. The situation escalated when he allegedly pulled her into a janitor’s closet, locked the door, and forced himself on her despite her protests.
"Scott pushed Hayley to her knees and, against her will, pulled off her top. Scott then pulled down his shorts, exposed his erect penis, and tried to force Hayley to perform oral sex on him," the complaint states.
After the alleged assault, Scott reportedly gave Dylan Lakers merchandise and discouraged her from speaking about what happened. When she tried to get a ride home, one of his teammates refused, saying, "F**k, no. I’m not putting that girl in my car."
Scott, now 64, admits to having sexual contact with Dylan but claims he believed she was 18. His attorney, Linda Bauermeister, told the Daily Mail.
"Our client believed the plaintiff to be over 18 and had no idea she would claim otherwise until 35 years later. He respects girls and women, and the claims have blindsided him and his family."
At the time of the alleged assault, Scott was married to his first wife, Anita Scott. The couple divorced in 2014.
Scott, who won three NBA titles with the Lakers (1985, 1987, 1988) and later coached the team, has long been a respected figure in basketball.
