What Happened to Joshua Primo, and Why Hasn't He Been at NBA Games — Will He Return?

Content warning: This article mentions allegations of sexual crimes.

NBA star Joshua Primo was a beloved player best known for his time on the San Antonio Spurs before abruptly disappearing from professional basketball altogether. His last game was back in 2024, when he played for the LA Clippers, in which he scored two points against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Given that Primo has dropped out of the spotlight since that game, fans are wondering what happened to the NBA player. Where is Primo now, and will he ever return to the court?

As it turns out, the NBA chose to part ways with Joshua, rather than the other way around, due to the player's alleged sexual crimes.

Primo was accused of indecent exposure by his then-team's sports psychologist. She sued both Primo, personally, and the San Antonio Spurs for what she alleges were multiple incidents.

While the psychologist was the one to bring the lawsuit forward, it is alleged that Primo did this to other women as well.

As a result of the allegations, the NBA suspended Joshua for four games, and he became a pariah in basketball. So much so, in fact, that he was let go from both the LA Clippers and the Chicago Bulls, the latter of whom released Primo from his contract just one day after he'd signed it.

The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, and District Attorney Joe Gonzales stated that there wasn't enough evidence to file criminal charges, leaving Primo legally free and clear.

It's worth noting that Primo's lawyer insisted the exposure in question was "unwitting" and that Primo's accuser was "not acting in good faith."

Primo spoke up, as well. Per ESPN, the player stated, "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. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."

While anything is possible, Primo returning to the NBA seems unlikely due to the fact that many teams see the player as a liability. This is evidenced by him getting dropped from teams and not having had the opportunity to play professionally for several years now.

Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that back when he was playing, Joshua suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle, which required surgery. Having both legal and medical issues in his background makes the player a serious risk.

As this Reddit user pointed out, "If I were a team, I wouldn't want to take the risk. You don't just employ players; everybody involved with the team's well-being matters too. We've seen what Josh is willing to do when he thinks he's in a position of power over people. ... If I'm running a business and Josh Primo could hurt my workers, which would result in me getting sued up the a--, I don't want him."