Report: Spurs waive guard Josh Primo after sexual misconduct allegations
A former San Antonio Spurs employee alleged that now-former Spurs guard Josh Primo exposed himself in her presence, a person familiar with the matter said Saturday night.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details have been released publicly by the Spurs, Primo or the accuser.
Attorney Tony Busby confirmed to the AP that he was hired by a “former contractor” for Spurs. He is the lawyer who represented the 24 women who filed suit Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watsonthen by the Houston Texans, accusing him of sexual assault or harassment.
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Watson served an 11-game unpaid suspension and was fined $5 million by the NFL.
Primo was let go by Spurs on Friday in a surprise move, given the 19-year-old was seen as an important part of the team’s future. ESPN, citing sources, reported Saturday that the Spurs parted ways with Primo after “multiple alleged instances of him exposing himself to women.” The San Antonio Express-News also confirmed that the Spurs’ decision followed multiple allegations against Primo.
There are no active lawsuits against Primo in Bexar County, Texas, according to online records.
On Friday, Primo released a statement to ESPN saying he was “seeking help to deal with a past trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus more fully on healing my mental health. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so that I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate the privacy at this time.”
The Spurs took Primo with the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NBA draft after he spent one year in college at Alabama. The team had even recently picked up his third-year option, a largely procedural move that locked in a $4.3 million salary for next season and showed he was expected to remain in the Spurs’ plans. He earned $4.1 million this season.
“We hope that in the long term this decision serves the best interest of both the organization and Joshua,” Spurs executive RC Buford said when the team waived Primo on Friday. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did not elaborate, referring reporters to Buford’s statement and saying “we’ll stand by what we told you.”