HOUSTON (AP) — A psychologist who worked for the San Antonio Spurs has sued the team and former player Josh Primo, claiming he exposed himself to her multiple times during private sessions.
Hillary Cauthen worked as a performance psychologist for the team. A lawsuit filed Thursday in Bexar County alleges that the 19-year-old Primo exposed his genitals to her nine times “despite her numerous complaints about Primo’s improper sexual conduct to the organization’s leadership.”
Cauthen spoke publicly about the allegations against Primo for the first time Thursday in an emotional press conference where she wept openly throughout.
I am many things, but I’m not alone in the fight to do the right thing,” she said. “The right thing is to say: ‘No, this is not OK.’ To hold people accountable. To make systemic change. To protect those that suffer in silence.”
Primo was waived by the Spurs last Friday, just four games into his second NBA season.
Primo, through his attorney, denied any wrongdoing and lashed out at Cauthen’s claims, saying she is “playing to ugly stereotypes and racially charged fears for her own financial benefit,” and calling it an act of betrayal against a client.
“Dr. Cauthen’s allegations are either a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy,” the attorney, William J. Briggs II, said. “Josh Primo never intentionally exposed himself to her or anyone else and was not even aware that his private parts were visible outside of his workout shorts.”
A spokesman for the Spurs did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on the lawsuit. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has also declined to comment, other than referring reporters to a benign statement the team released last week when waiving Primo.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the lawsuit, said criminal charges against Primo could follow.
There will be a criminal complaint filed for multiple counts of indecent exposure against Mr. Primo,” Buzbee said. “And we expect the authorities to prosecute.”
The lawsuit alleges that Primo first exposed himself to Cauthen in December and that she reported the behavior at that time. According to the lawsuit, “exposures happened on numerous occasions and grew progressively more extreme.”
Cauthen requested a meeting with Spurs general manager Brian Wright in January. She said she finally met with him on March 21, after several postponements, and laid out what she alleges Primo had done in their sessions.
After that meeting, she was asked to meet with Primo again in a public setting and the lawsuit alleges that he again exposed himself. He asked to meet with her again after that but she declined.
“It’s not about money, obviously,” Buzbee said. “This is about putting in place formalized protocols. … This needs to change and it needs to change now.
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this story