Lakers’ Young, Clarkson accused of sexually harassing two women
The Los Angeles Lakers are investigating a claim that two of their players — swingman Nick Young and guard Jordan Clarkson — sexually harassed two women in L.A. on Sunday night.
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The two women — a mother and a daughter — claim that a Jeep full of young men pulled up alongside them on Sunday and began to make “vulgar, sexual gestures” and comments to them. The younger woman, Alexis Jones — author of the book “I Am That Girl” and founder of ProtectHer, a nonprofit program aimed at working with college and professional athletes to curb sexual assault and domestic violence by reframing traditional concepts of masculinity — says she responded by taking out her phone and beginning to record the incident, which she says reduced her 68-year-old mother to tears.
She posted an image from that recording on Instagram on Sunday night:
“I pray these pics go viral because THIS is the problem with little boys,” Jones wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. “Five minutes ago, at the intersection of Melrose and La [Brea] here in LA, a jeep of four boys pulled up at a red light and started yelling and making the most disgustingly vulgar gestures at my mom and me. I rarely ‘rant’ about things but this is the f%+#ing problem and the reason I’ve now dedicated my life to educating young men about respect, not just for women but for everyone. I’m angry. I’m insulted. I’m hurt. They were laughing hysterically until they realized I was filming them and immediately they panicked like the cowards they are.
“Thank you to all the real men out there who would never treat a mother and daughter that way… Speaking of, I’d love for this to make it back to their mothers!!! Help me find who these guys are!!! Let’s see the power of social media and hold them accountable. I’d LOVE to have a candid conversation with them about sexual harassment not simply to shame them, but to understand their mentality so we can better educate young men to be respectful in the future.”
Jones’ followers quickly identified the man on the left side of the image as the 23-year-old Clarkson, and the one on the right as the 30-year-old Young.
From Baxter Holmes at ESPN.com:
Around 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jones said she received a call from [Lakers spokesman John] Black, who she said apologized on behalf of the Lakers. Jones said Black suggested the possibility of Jones speaking to the Lakers about the topic she has spent the past two-and-a-half years traveling the U.S. to speak to collegiate athletes about: respect and treatment of women.
“I’ve been inspired by how the Lakers have responded,” she said.
Black said Lakers head coach Byron Scott is aware of the situation and has addressed it with the two players. Later Monday afternoon, Jones said the Lakers offered to have her come in to speak with Clarkson and Young, but she was unable to. She said she requested a call with them to talk through the issue and hopefully receive an apology, but that request was declined.
Young, for his part, offered what appeared to be a brief rejoinder via Twitter on Monday evening:
… which he quickly deleted. Whether Young or Clarkson wind up receiving any discipline for the incident remains to be seen; Black told ESPN the Lakers take the claims “very seriously,” but that’s all the comment the team has right now.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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