Harden is now a defendant! He is accused of negligence in a sexual assault case involving his nephew committing rape at his home.

On June 24, Beijing time, The Athletic reported that in a civil lawsuit filed in Harris County, Texas, Clippers guard James Harden has been accused of negligence. The lawsuit also includes allegations of sexual assault against Harden's nephew, Blackburn.

The lawsuit, submitted on Monday local time, states that the incidents occurred during a New Year's party hosted by Harden at his home in Houston. The plaintiff, Marissa Watley, claims that Blackburn raped her while she was unconscious at the party. Watley also alleges that Harden was negligent due to the inappropriate actions of his security personnel on New Year's morning.

Court documents indicate that the case has been filed with the clerk of the Harris County District Court. The lawsuit states that Watley is requesting a jury trial and seeking economic damages, compensatory damages, and punitive damages. On Monday, The Athletic reached out to Harden's representatives, who declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit points out that Harden "is liable for the actions of his security personnel and their company," which are also named as defendants in the case.

According to the lawsuit, Watley and her two friends (who are identified by pseudonyms Jane and Emily as witnesses) attended the New Year's party after spending the night at a gentleman's club in Houston. After learning about the follow-up party at Harden's residence, Watley and her friends took an Uber to the location. The lawsuit states that upon arrival, the three women were invited into Harden's "studio," where Blackburn approached them and poured them drinks from a bottle, after which they lost consciousness.

The lawsuit states that Watley's memory then became "extremely hazy," and she recalls Blackburn eagerly trying to take her somewhere. She next remembers "waking up from shock" during the assault, feeling "in a dreamlike state" and "not fully awake."

Watley claims that her friends were later escorted away by Harden's security personnel, but she remained inside the residence. The friends then contacted Watley's sister, who reached out to Harden's sister—Blackburn's mother—through a mutual friend. The lawsuit states that this sister sent Watley's photo to Harden's security personnel, but they falsely claimed that the woman inside was not Watley.

After being escorted out of the mansion and being denied re-entry to look for her friends, Jane and Emily saw Harden driving out of the gate. The lawsuit claims that shortly before Harden left, at least three women inside were noticeably unconscious, with Watley being one of them in the bedroom. It also states that around the time Harden departed, another group of women was removed from the residence.

"Since I reported to the police on New Year's Day that I was raped by Mr. Blackburn, I have been confused by the actions of Mr. Harden's security personnel that day—thinking that all of this could have been prevented in a timely manner causes me pain," Watley said in a statement. "I hope this lawsuit will encourage security personnel to act more responsibly when women are in danger."

Watley's attorney stated in a release: "Ms. Watley has bravely stepped forward to hold Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden accountable for what happened at Mr. Harden's mansion on New Year's Day 2025, demonstrating immense courage and strength. This rape case has been reported to the police immediately, and we will seek justice against Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden through the civil justice system."

The 35-year-old Harden is an 11-time All-Star player who has just completed his second season with the Clippers.