A former performance psychologist with the Spurs has filed a lawsuit against the team and its former guard Josh Primo, who also will be the subject of a criminal complaint for multiple counts of indecent exposure.
Dr. Hillary Cauthen came forward Thursday in a news conference in Houston, where she alleged Primo exposed himself to her on multiple occasions.
Attorney Tony Buzbee announced the suit, filed in Bexar County, Texas, and the expected criminal complaint six days after the Spurs cut Primo and about 10 months after the first incident, according to Cauthen.
According to Cauthen, Primo first exposed his penis to her in late Dec. 2021. Buzbee said she informed Spurs general manager Brian Wright of the incident in Jan. 2022.
“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,” said Buzbee, who added that Cauthen did not want to lose her job and initially hoped it was a “one-time thing.”
“But unfortunately the conduct continued to occur and in fact escalate,” Buzbee said.
Dr. Hillary Cauthen at a press conference with lawyer Tony Buzbee.TwitterIn a statement to The Athletic, Primo’s lawyer, William J. Briggs II, called the accusations “either a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy.” Briggs said 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.”
“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.”
According to Cauthen, instead of disciplining Primo — a lottery pick in 2021 — she felt punished, as the team told her on different occasions to either work from home or stay away from the facilities.
Joshua Primo and head coach Gregg Popovich on Oct. 24, 2022.APAt one point, Buzbee said, the Spurs “told her they wanted to do what they called a facilitated discussion with Dr. Cauthen and Joshua Primo to figure out what it was that was compelling him to expose himself to her.”
According to Buzbee — who also represented many of the accusers of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson — the Spurs told Cauthen to stay home during the team’s summer league in Las Vegas.
During the summer league, “Primo, it’s been reported, did it again” to another woman, Buzbee said.
Cauthen says her contract was not renewed. The Spurs cut Primo, who cleared waivers and now is a free agent, on Friday.
Joshua Primo was released by the SpursNBAE via Getty Images “The organization I worked for has failed me,” said Cauthen, who says she was told head coach Gregg Popovich knew about the allegations, but she was not sure that was true. “It took the Spurs 10 months to do the right thing. That’s too long.”
