Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) is seen warming up before game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome on April 26, 2025. Harden has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit accusing him of negligence related to his security team’s conduct. The lawsuit, filed in Harris County, Texas and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, was brought by Marisa Watley, who demands a jury trial as well as economic, compensatory, and punitive damages.
In the lawsuit, Watley alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Harden’s nephew, Justice Armani Blackburn, at a New Year’s Eve party in 2024. Despite her friends attempting to alert Harden’s security team, Watley claims that they failed to take appropriate action to prevent the assault. Watley expressed her disappointment with how the security team handled the situation and hopes that her complaint will encourage security personnel to respond more effectively to situations where women are in danger.
Harden, a prominent NBA player, just finished his second season with the Clippers, posting impressive statistics. Watley’s legal team, including Michael J. Willemin, John S. Crain, Jay Ellwanger, and Kaylyn Betts, commended Watley for her bravery in seeking accountability from both Harden and Blackburn through the civil justice system in light of the alleged incident at Harden’s mansion on New Year’s Day 2025.
