The former sports performance psychologist for the San Antonio Spurs is suing the team and former guard Josh Primo for covering up multiple incidents of alleged indecent exposure.
Dr. Hillary Cauthen made her allegations against Primo and the team public on Tuesday during a press conference in Houston, Texas. Cauthen has hired attorney Tony Buzbee, the same lawyer representing more than two dozen Houston-area massage therapists who have accused Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct.
Former Spurs psychologist Hillary Cauthen has sued the Spurs and Josh Primo and is filing a criminal complaint over alleged incidents involving indecent exposure by Primo, alleging Primo exposed himself nine times to her beginning in December 2021 and the franchise failed to act.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 3, 2022
The filing of the suit comes less than a week after the Spurs cut Primo for allegedly exposing himself to employees.
According to Buzbee, the first exposure occurred in December 2021. The suit claims Primo exposed his penis to Cauthen in that incident. Buzbee says he informed Spurs General Manager Brian Wright about the incident in January of 2022. However, Buzbee claims that the team did not act on the information.
“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 claimed. The suit claims that Cauthen continued working with Primo out of fear of losing her job and hoping that the exposure was an isolated incident.
A psychologist who worked for the San Antonio Spurs has sued the team and former player Josh Primo after she alleges that he exposed himself to her multiple times during private sessions.
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— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) November 3, 2022
“But unfortunately the conduct continued to occur and in fact escalate,” Buzbee stated.
Joshua Primo #11 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on March 20, 2022, in San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Primo’s attorney, William J. Briggs II, accused Cauthen of fabricating the story and playing into “racially charged fears.”
“Josh Primo is a 19-year-old NBA player who has suffered a lifetime of trauma and challenges,” Briggs said. “He is now being victimized by his former team-appointed sports psychologist, who is playing to ugly stereotypes and racially charged fears for her own financial benefit.”
Briggs also claimed that Primo never “intentionally exposed himself to her or anyone else and not even aware that his private parts were visible outside of his workout shorts.”
According to Buzbee, the steps taken by the Spurs to address the situation amounted to a “facilitated discussion” in which Primo and Cauthen would meet to discuss what was “compelling” the player to expose himself to her. Ultimately, though, Buzbee claims that the team told Cauthen to work from home and stay away from the team while they traveled to Las Vegas for the summer league.
However, Buzbee stated there have been reports that Primo exposed himself to another woman while in Vegas.
Primo is currently a free agent.
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