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Rose's accuser, identified only as Jane Doe, said she and the
three-time All-Star Chicago Bulls guard dated from 2011 to 2013.
In August 2013, she said, Rose and two friends invited her to
Rose's home in Beverly Hills, California, where they slipped a
drug into her drink with the aim of raping her.
The woman said she escaped the house but that Rose and his
friends broke into her apartment later that night and gang-raped
her while she was incapacitated, it said.
Rose's accuser, who is seeking unspecified damages, said she
waited for two years to file the suit because she was “ashamed
and embarrassed” of what happened.
"I am just focusing on staying healthy and getting ready for the
season," Rose, 26, said in a statement on Thursday. "I am not
going to comment other than to say: I know the truth, and am
confident I will be proven innocent."
The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior
Court.
A spokeswoman for Rose said in a statement the "plaintiff’s
allegations are completely false and without any factual basis."
"This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to shake down a
highly respected and successful athlete," the statement said.
"Mr. Rose was in a non-exclusive, consensual sexual relationship
with the plaintiff for over two years."
"We have complete confidence that the case will be dismissed and
that Mr. Rose will be vindicated. This lawsuit is outrageous."
Rose, who missed a portion of last season because of a knee
injury, averaged 17.7 points, 4.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds per
game in 51 games.
"We just learned about this matter and do not know all the
facts," the Bulls said in a statement. "It would be
inappropriate to comment further at this time."
(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Mohammad
Zargham and Peter Cooney)
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