Zion granted temporary stay in case against former marketing agent

An appeals court in Florida has granted Zion Williamson a temporary stay in his ongoing legal case against former marketing agent Gina Ford and her company, Prime Sports Marketing, according to The Associated Press.

Williamson's original request was denied Tuesday, but he was granted a temporary stay Thursday following an appeal.

The order temporarily blocks Ford's proceedings against the New Orleans Pelicans star. In documents filed last month, Ford's attorneys submitted questions regarding Williamson's eligibility at Duke, including whether he or his family received "money, benefits, favors, or things of value" to sign with the university.

If the lawsuit is permitted to proceed, Williamson would be required to respond under oath as part of the discovery process. His lawyers have argued that Ford's inquiries are "nothing more than a fishing expedition aimed at tarnishing Williamson's reputation."

Ford is suing Williamson and his current representation, Creative Artists Agency, for breaching a five-year contract. Williamson sued Prime Sports Marketing in June 2019 to terminate their contract, arguing that the agency wasn't registered in North Carolina and thus the agreement violated the state's Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

Ford's attorneys must respond to the granted stay within 10 days.