For nearly four decades, Hayley Dylan says she carried a memory too heavy to speak aloud—a moment frozen in time, a life-altering trauma she says happened behind a locked door in a Los Angeles high school.
Now, after years of silence, she’s ready to talk about it—and the name at the center of her accusation is one many basketball fans know well: Byron Scott.
Scott, a three-time NBA champion and former head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, is being sued in California for allegedly sexually assaulting Dylan in 1987, when she was just 15 years old. He was 26 at the time, a rising star on the Lakers’ “Showtime” roster.
A Day That Changed Everything
According to the lawsuit, Dylan met Scott while he and several other Lakers players were filming a basketball video at Campbell Hall School in Studio City. She was a student at the school and says she admired Scott, like many did.
What began as an exciting day, Dylan says, turned into something much darker. In the complaint filed with the court, she claims Scott offered to show her around the campus and led her into a janitor’s closet. Once inside, she alleges, he locked the door and sexually assaulted her.
“I was just a kid,” Dylan said in a statement through her attorney. “He knew that. He took advantage of the fact that I looked up to him. I said no. I tried to leave. But I couldn’t.”
Why She’s Coming Forward Now
Dylan, now an adult, says she kept the trauma hidden for years out of fear, confusion, and shame. Like many survivors of childhood abuse, she says it took decades to fully process what had happened and to feel ready to seek justice.
Her case is being brought under California’s Child Victims Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to come forward no matter how much time has passed. Her lawsuit, originally filed in 2022, was amended in early May to publicly name Scott.
She is also suing Campbell Hall School, accusing them of failing to protect her from the alleged assault.
Scott Responds Through Attorney
Scott has not spoken publicly about the allegations, but his attorney, Linda Bauermeister, confirmed that a sexual encounter did occur between Scott and Dylan. However, she claims Scott believed Dylan was over 18 at the time.
“He is absolutely devastated to learn of this allegation and denies doing anything non-consensual,” Bauermeister told reporters. “He had no idea this was coming.”
Bauermeister also noted that Scott did not hear about the accusation until decades later.
A Legacy Under Scrutiny
Byron Scott is a respected figure in the basketball world. He helped lead the Lakers to championships alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s. After retiring as a player, he coached several NBA teams, including a stint as head coach of the Lakers from 2014 to 2016.
Now, that legacy is under a different kind of spotlight—one not defined by rings or trophies, but by accountability and a woman’s fight to have her voice heard.
Advocates Rally Around Survivor
Survivors’ advocacy groups have applauded Dylan’s decision to speak out, noting how difficult and courageous it is to come forward, especially when the accused holds celebrity status.
“She was a child. That’s the only fact that matters,” said Karen Molina, a counselor who works with survivors of childhood trauma. “It doesn’t matter how long ago it happened or how famous he is. She deserves to be heard.”
What Happens Next
The lawsuit is still in its early stages, and it will be up to the courts to determine how the facts play out. But for Dylan, filing the case is about more than legal justice—it’s about reclaiming power.
“Something was taken from me when I was 15,” she said. “This lawsuit is my way of saying, ‘I’m not afraid anymore.’”
No criminal charges have been filed at this time. Representatives from Campbell Hall School declined to comment on pending litigation.
As the case moves forward, it’s a reminder that for many survivors, justice doesn’t have an expiration date. And neither does the courage to speak the truth.
