Report: Former Sonics star Gary Payton suspended from Fox Sports following assault allegation

Gary Payton. From Getty Images.



LOS ANGELES -- Fox Sports 1 suspended 9-time NBA All-Star and former Seattle Sonics point guard Gary Payton from his position as a NBA analyst while police investigate a lawsuit alleging the former star assaulted a woman.

According to awfulannouncing.com, a lawsuit was filed claiming that Payton assaulted a  woman three times in one evening during a January event. Payton denies the claim.

Payton was suspended from Fox Sports while an investigation into the case is ongoing, awfulannouncing.com reported. Fox Sports issued a statement to the popular sports media blog, saying that Payton was notified of their decision as soon as the company was made aware of the assault claim.

"Regardless of the circumstance, domestic violence is abhorrent and inexcusable and FOX takes these accusations very seriously," the statement reads.

Payton played 13 years with the Sonics, and along with Shawn Kemp, led the team to the NBA Finals in 1996. He has worked with Fox Sports since 2013.