Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason has filed for a domestic violence restraining order against his ex-girlfriend, alleging she destroyed approximately $92,000 worth of his clothing with bleach and threatened to kill him.
According to court documents, the 25-year-old NBA player claims his former partner, 32-year-old influencer Marilyn Maritza Melo Rodriguez, physically assaulted him following a dispute. Eason also described a phone call with one of Rodriguez's friends who allegedly warned that she would "break both my legs" and "kill me," leaving him fearing for his life.
Eason alleges that on one occasion, Rodriguez's mother asked him to drive the influencer to her family home. Upon arriving at the property, a discussion allegedly turned violent, and Rodriguez struck Eason in the face with a closed fist. After Eason left the property, he claims Rodriguez went to his AirBnB and poured bleach over a significant portion of his clothing, rendering it unsalvageable.
The Houston Rockets forward is seeking a court order for Rodriguez to stay away from him, his residence, his personal vehicle, his workplace, and any California arenas where the Rockets are scheduled to play.
Representatives for Rodriguez have disputed Eason's claims, stating to TMZ that the portrayals are "false, misleading and intended to damage her reputation while diverting attention from her allegations of harassment."
Eason was selected by the Rockets with the 17th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He played collegiately at LSU, where he earned First-Team All-SEC honors and was named the conference's Sixth Man of the Year. During his rookie season with Houston, the 6-foot-8 forward was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after appearing in all 82 games. He recently signed a five-year, $81.5 million contract extension with the Rockets.