San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich has spoken out on the allegations of indecent exposure against Josh Primo for the first time.
The NBA coach remained silent on the matter until Friday evening, ahead of his team’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
He said he could not comment on when he was first informed about Primo’s alleged behavior and what actions the Spurs, who lost 113-106, did or did not take because it is now a legal matter.
He did add the Spurs have long worked to maintain a healthy work environment.
‘I would only add that anybody that has observed the Spurs over a very long period of time knows that an accusation like this would be taken very seriously, without any doubt whatsoever,’ Popovich said.
‘No equivocation, the Spurs organization would be on top of it. I am absolutely confident that the men and women on the managerial staff that dealt with and are dealing with this did so purposefully, efficiently, promptly and did it with the utmost care for everybody concerned, the accuser, the accused, the people in the organization, to make sure that everybody still felt comfortable and safe. I’ll just leave my comments at that.’
San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich (right) has spoken out on the allegations of indecent exposure against Josh Primo (left) for the first time
Lawyers working on behalf of psychologist Hillary Cauthen (left, Thursday, and right) filed the lawsuit on her behalf in Bexar County (Texas) on Thursday
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas said Friday it has started a preliminary investigation into the allegations.
A spokesperson was quoted by San Antonio’s KSAT confirming that investigators have made contact with an alleged victim who was not identified by the BCSO office.
It comes a day after lawyers for psychologist Hillary Cauthen filed a lawsuit on her behalf in Bexar County (Texas).
Cauthen claims that Primo exposed himself to her nine times during private sessions beginning in December of 2021. She also made reference in her lawsuit to other women who have reportedly accused the Toronto native of exposure.
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The 19-year-old Primo was released by the San Antonio Spurs last Friday after the accusations surfaced, publicly.
Popovich has been an outspoken advocate for civil rights and for various social causes. The assertion that the Spurs turned a blind eye to Cauthen´s accusations has troubled the team’s fans.
The 19-year-old Primo was released by the San Antonio Spurs last Friday after the accusations surfaced, publicly.
‘The only thing I would say to the fans is to consider the statement I just made about how we’ve handled things over many years,’ Popovich said.
‘As far as the details, I think they know intellectually, like we all do, that it’s in the hands of the lawyers. We can’t say anything. That pretty much cuts everything off. I would imagine that over time details are going to come out, they always do. Everybody has to just wait for that.’
‘The Spurs organization was willing to sacrifice Dr. Cauthen to keep what they hoped would one day be a star player,’ read the lawsuit, provided to DailyMail.com. ‘Once Primo’s conduct entered the public sphere, the Spurs were forced to act and release Primo. The Spurs’ recent actions with regard to Primo are too little, too late.’
The psychologist was hired by the Spurs in 2021, but her employment with the team ended when her contract was not renewed in August of 2022.
Cauthen’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, said at a press conference on Thursday that he plans to file a criminal complaint against Primo.
At Thursday’s press conference, Buzbee cited Spurs general manager Brian Wright, as well as the team’s general counsel, deputy general counsel and head of human relations for neglecting to respond to Cauthen’s complaints about Primo.
Cauthen claims she was told in June that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was aware of the allegations, but Buzbee shed some doubt on that Thursday.
‘We may have concluded here that they [the Spurs] were lying,’ Buzbee said.
Primo’s attorney, William J. Briggs, has released a statement defending the former Spurs player. Specifically, Briggs claimed that his client never exposed himself to her, and instead simply had a wardrobe malfunction.
