Former Spurs guard Josh Primo is receiving a four-game suspension from the NBA after he was accused of exposing himself to women in the organization last year.
The NBA is classifying Primo’s suspension as “conduct detrimental”, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Primo allegedly exposed himself to women in multiple instances,” Wojnarowski wrote.
The Spurs selected Primo 12th overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft out of Alabama.
Primo appeared in 50 games, starting 16, as a rookie.
The Spurs abruptly waived Primo after four games last season when the allegations were about to become public — about 10 months after he was first accused.
Performance psychologist Dr. Hillary Cauthen alleged that Primo exposed himself to her multiple times.
Dr. Cauthen retained Tony Buzbee, the attorney who represented Deshaun Watson’s accusers in the civil complaints against the star quarterback, and filed suit against the Spurs.
“Instead of something being done about it, what instead happened was they continued to call upon her to have sessions with Mr. Primo and of course the other athletes,” Buzbee said last November.
“But unfortunately the conduct continued to occur and in fact escalate.”
The lawsuit was settled later that month.
Primo apparently blamed the situation on a wardrobe mishap.
“Sources close to Primo are insistent he never intentionally exposed his privates, and if anything was visible at any time, it was strictly a wardrobe malfunction resulting from laying down on a couch in basketball shorts,” TMZ reported last November.
After Primo was released but before the allegations had come to light, he issued a statement citing mental health.
“I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully,” the statement read, per ESPN.
“I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time.”
The four-game suspension seemingly provides a path for Primo to resume his NBA career in the near term if a team is willing to take a chance on him.