Canadian Josh Primo, San Antonio Spurs Sued by Former Team Psychologist | CBC sport

A psychologist who worked for the San Antonio Spurs has sued the team and former player Josh Primo, alleging he exposed himself to her multiple times during private sessions.

Hillary Cauthen served as the team’s performance psychologist. A lawsuit filed Thursday in Bexar County alleges that the 19-year-old, who hails from Mississauga, Ontario, exposed his genitals nine times “despite their numerous complaints about Primo’s inappropriate sexual conduct while running the organization.”

Cauthen first spoke publicly about the allegations against Primo in an emotional press conference on Thursday, during which she openly cried.

Primo was waived by the Spurs last Friday, just four games into his second NBA season.

Primo, through his attorney, denied any wrongdoing and lashed out at Cauthen’s claims, saying she was playing “with ugly stereotypes and racially charged fears for her own financial gain,” calling it an act of treason against a client.

“Dr. Cauthen’s allegations are either complete fabrication, gross embellishment, or utter fantasy,” said attorney William J. Briggs II. “Josh Primo did not intentionally expose himself to her or anyone else and was not even aware that his private parts were exposed.” were visible outside of his training shorts.”

Spurs CEO RC Buford said the franchise “disagreed with the accuracy of the facts, details and timeline presented today”.

“While we would like to share more information, we will allow legal recourse,” Buford said, adding that Spurs “remain committed to upholding the highest standards and will continue to live by our values ​​and our culture.”

Attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the lawsuit, said criminal charges against Primo could follow.

“A criminal complaint will be filed against Mr. Primo for multiple indecent exposures,” Buzbee said. “And we expect the authorities to prosecute.”

The lawsuit alleges that Primo first exposed herself to Cauthen in December and that she reported the behavior at the time. According to the lawsuit, “there were numerous revelations that became increasingly extreme.”

Cauthen requested a meeting with Spurs general manager Brian Wright in January. She said she finally met with him on March 21 after several postponements and set out what she thought Primo had been doing in their sessions.

“I’ve lost the power to help others [and] I lost my job’

After that meeting, she was asked to meet publicly with Primo again, and the lawsuit alleges that he exposed himself again. He asked to meet up with her again afterwards, but she declined.

She said she had further meetings with Wright over the following months and met with lawyers from the Spurs organization on several occasions. In July, she was not invited to accompany the team to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and according to the lawsuit, Spurs told her that they felt “they couldn’t do their job professionally because of what was going on now.” Lack of trust between her and the team.”

Cauthen has worked for Spurs since April 2021. Her contract was up for renewal at the end of August and it was not kept.

“I was honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of the team,” she said. “It’s very rare that someone gets the chance to build something within an organization and I’ve chosen to build something with people I trust. And I feel, more importantly, I’ve lost the power to help others [and] I lost my job.”

Buzbee said he hasn’t been contacted by any other woman about Primo, but expects to do so in the coming days amid reports that Primo has allegedly exposed himself to others.

“It’s obviously not about money,” Buzbee said. “This is about introducing formalized protocols. That has to change, now.”

anger, sadness and confusion

Cauthen was asked how she felt when Primo was released months after she first reported the allegations to the team.

“There’s anger,” she said. “There is sadness. There is confusion.”

The Spurs clinched Primo with the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft after a season in Alabama. Primo averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in his rookie season with the Spurs and 7 this season .0 points, 4.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds in four games with the Spurs.

The team recently got his third-year option, a largely procedural move that set a $4.3 million salary for next season and showed he was expected to remain in Spurs’ plans. He earned $4.1 million that season.

Had he been claimed by another team before Monday, that team would have been responsible for the $8.4 million owed to Primo. He deleted the waivers Monday and is a free agent.

Buzbee also represented 24 women who sued Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for sexual assault or harassment while he was with the Houston Texans. Watson is serving an 11-game suspension from the NFL.