The San Antonio Spurs and Joshua Primo have settled a lawsuit with the team’s former clinical psychologist, who accused Primo of inappropriate conduct.
This resolution comes rather quickly, with the organization eager to avoid further scandal. Dr. Hillary Cauthen filed the suit a few weeks ago, on November 3rd. Cauthen alleges that the team’s 2021 lottery pick exposed his genitals to her on at least nine occasions during their private sessions. Cauthen notified the franchise’s leadership, yet her complaints fell on deaf ears.
The doctor first reported Primo’s behavior to the Spurs in January. She says the team gradually began to pull back from her but not before requesting that she stage an intervention of sorts with Primo. The Spurs wanted Cauthen to hold “a facilitated discussion” with the young man to learn why he continued to expose himself. Cauthen left the company in August after her contract was not renewed for an undisclosed reason.
Following the filing of the suit, Spurs CEO RC Buford questioned “the accuracy of the facts, details, and timeline” of events. Primo’s attorney, William J. Briggs Jr., maintained that the 19-year-old never deliberately exposed himself to her. He was released from the team last month and announced that he would be stepping away from basketball to focus on his mental health and “previous trauma” that he’d endured, although it’s unclear what he was referring to.
Neither party has disclosed what the settlement entailed. However, Buford stated Thursday that the Spurs plan to work closely with Dr. Cauthen and other experts to improve workplace procedures surrounding inappropriate behavior.
Primo has kept a relatively low profile since being cut by the team.
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