Joshua Primo Speaks for First Time Amid Second Chance With Clippers
The former 2021 lottery pick was released by the San Antonio Spurs last October due to allegations of inappropriate and offensive behavior.
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — While the LA Clippers’ media day wrapped up on the central dais, players who didn’t speak were mingling and going through the tedious process of signing items, getting their photos taken, and the various other requirements. Basketballs sat on a table that stretched across one of the two courts at the Clippers’ Honey Training Center. Pictures, hats, and other accouterments were also splayed out, waiting for a Sharpie to touch them.
Off to the side, finishing up with his round of signing, stood 20-year-old Joshua Primo, the former 2021 lottery pick of the San Antonio Spurs before he was released by the organization in October 2022 due to “multiple alleged instances of him exposing himself to women.”
Shortly after his release, Primo released a statement, saying in part, “I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully.”
The newest member of the Clippers was signed to a two-way contract on Sep. 29, the same day that the NBA suspended him for four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league after their investigation concluded that “Primo engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women”, and two days after Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank spoke to media at the team’s training facility.
According to the NBA’s official release:
Primo maintains that his conduct was not intentional, and the league did not find evidence that he engaged in any sexual or other misconduct apart from these brief exposures. Nevertheless, this behavior does not conform to league standards and warrants discipline.
The former San Antonio team psychologist filed a civil complaint against the Spurs, alleging that Primo had exposed his genitals to her nine times during sessions together. The Spurs and Dr. Hillary Cauthen later settled the lawsuit.
In an interview with a handful of reporters, Primo answered questions for the first time about the allegations, steps he’s taking, and the second chance he’s been given with the Clippers.
“The allegations that came up against me were extremely serious and something that I didn't take lightly at all,” Primo said when asked what he’s done over the last year. “I’ve been in therapy for the past year and I’ve been working with a couple [of] different therapists and just preparing myself for another opportunity like this and making sure that allegations like that never come up again.”
On the topic of therapy itself, Primo stated that he’s been “in therapy [for] the past year, been working on myself, doing some soul-searching for sure.”
During his rookie season with the Spurs, Primo averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 37.4 percent shooting across 50 games as the NBA’s youngest player. Going into his second season, there was optimism that Primo would see a boost in play. That hope was quickly dashed just four games into his season when the Spurs released him. Primo averaged 7.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds on 34.6 percent shooting in those four contests.
“This last year was hard. It was really hard. These allegations were not something I take lightly for one second, and I had to deal with it in a very serious manner. But since then I’ve been working and I’ll continue to work.”
When asked if there was anything that Primo felt that he had to do to make sure people would be able to feel comfortable with and around him, Primo touched on actions meaning more than words in his case.
“I think it really is all about actions. Talk is cheap, guys. Like, honestly, it's going to be my actions each and every day that proves my character and allows the relationships that I feel with my coworkers to feel stronger.”
According to reporting from the LA Times’ Andrew Greif, the Clippers did consult with female employees “who interact most frequently with players.”
Per Greif, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank stated, “We’re not disputing allegations or condoning the alleged conduct, but why we’re here is because of all the work he’s put in since those allegations.”
The Clippers were rumored to have been linked to Primo over the last several months, something that Primo himself confirmed on Monday.
“It was a couple [of] months ago,” Primo answered when asked when the first time he became aware of the Clippers’ interest in him. “But I’ve been talking to them for a while now to where I feel like we both have come to an understanding and again, the conversations are ongoing each and every day.”
Primo, who turns 21 in December, is allowed to practice with the Clippers during training camp but is not allowed to play in any of the team’s four preseason games and will miss the first four games of the regular season, as required by the NBA’s suspension policy.
“I think over the next couple years, over the next little while, I think my actions and the work that I’ve put in are gonna continue to show and I’m gonna be able to prove my character over time. But, again, it’s daily actions and it’s each and every day. But it’s not gonna happen overnight.”