The woman accusing NBA star Kristaps Porzingis of sexual assault tried to “mediate in private” with the New York Knicks for a $68,000 payment she said he promised her after the alleged assault, ESPN reports Monday. The 29-year-old reportedly told the Knicks that after Porzingis allegedly assaulted her in an “extremely aggressive encounter” in February 2018, he promised to sign a contract to pay her $68,000. The woman said that “as a Knicks fan,” she didn’t want to get Porzingis in trouble—but she wanted the money, and a pair of sandals she reportedly left at the apartment. Text messages reviewed by ESPN reportedly suggest the woman continued to seek an intimate relationship with Porzingis after the alleged assault. The Knicks eventually passed the woman on to Porzingis’ legal team, who say they referred the case to law enforcement “based on the accuser's extortionate demands.” Porzingis’ attorney told ESPN Monday that the alleged contract is “a forgery.” He now plays for the Dallas Mavericks. On March 30, the New York Post reported that the woman reported her allegation to the NYPD.
