Former San Antonio Spurs psychologist agrees to settle after accusing former player of exposing himself during therapy sessions
By Jill Martin, CNN
A sports psychologist who was under contract with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs has agreed to settle a civil lawsuit she had recently filed against the organization and 19-year-old former Spurs player Joshua Primo.
“The parties have agreed to resolve this matter. The entire case is over and we have no further comment,” attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents Dr. Hillary Cauthen, told CNN on Friday.
The suit, filed on November 3, alleged Primo exposed himself to Cauthen during therapy sessions beginning in December 2021, and claimed the organization’s leadership failed to act despite her “numerous complaints about Primo’s improper sexual conduct,” according to a court filing. Primo denied the allegations.
Primo’s attorney, William Briggs II, declined to comment Thursday.
“The situation regarding Josh Primo is a matter we take seriously,” Spurs CEO RC Buford said in a statement Thursday. “Since learning of the allegations, we have taken, and are taking, measures to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect. We know we owe that to Dr. Cauthen, our players, our staff and our community.”
“As an organization, we are continuously evaluating and refining our processes so they ultimately reflect the values and culture of who we aspire to be every day. To that end, we have decided to collaborate with Dr. Cauthen and other experts in an effort to review and improve our workplace processes and procedures,” the statement continued. “This is a learning opportunity for us, and one that we are certain will make us better moving forward.”
At the time the lawsuit was filed, Buford released a statement to multiple outlets, including ESPN, saying, “We disagree with the accuracy of facts, details and timeline presented today. While we would like to share more information, we will allow the legal process to play out.”
“Our organization remains committed to upholding the highest standards and will continue to live by our values and culture,” he added.
The Spurs declined to renew Cauthen’s contract when it came up for renewal in August, she said. Primo was released from the team on October 28. At the time, Buford said in a statement the roster move would “serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua,” while not providing any specific details on the decision.
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CNN’s Rebekah Riess contributed to this report.
