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Nineteen-year-old San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo was waived by the team last week. This came after he allegedly exposed himself to a female Spurs employee. The news was extremely disappointing for Spurs fans as Primo was considered a key part of their future. The Spurs had also just used their 12th pick on him in last year's NBA Draft.
On that note, here’s how Josh Primo’s college career went and what kind of NBA career he was projected to have.
Josh Primo attended the University of Alabama for one year, during the 2020-2021 season. He was the youngest player in college basketball at the time. During his freshman season, Primo averaged 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.6 steals per game. He did this on a 43.1/38.1/75.0 shooting split over 30 games played. Primo’s college accomplishments included him being named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team.
Josh Primo’s college stats may not have stood out, but he was still seen as a high-upside NBA Draft prospect. This was due to his physical gifts as a guard and his flashes of offensive potential. At 6-foot-6 with good athleticism, Primo looked like the ideal, modern-day NBA guard prospect.
Primo’s inconsistent shooting worried some, but he showed the ability to get hot from outside on multiple occasions. This led scouts to believe he could become a reliable 3-point shooter. In addition, he demonstrated a soft touch.
Defense-wise, Primo was seen as a versatile defender who could defend 1-3. His size was expected to be an issue for smaller guards in the NBA. This led Primo to receive comparisons to two-way NBA shooting guards like Gary Trent Jr.
Primo was projected to be a late first-round pick in 2021, but the Spurs chose him at number 12, as they liked what they saw regarding his upside. Unfortunately, due to Primo’s off-court actions, it looks like Spurs fans won’t get to see if the pick would have turned out to be worthwhile.
Josh Primo’s brief NBA career so far
In terms of Josh Primo’s NBA production, he only played 50 games as a rookie and four games this season before being waived. He has career averages of 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on 37.2% shooting and 30.2% from three.
Primo was expected to receive more opportunities from the San Antonio Spurs this season, following their offseason decision to trade away All-Star guard Dejounte Murray. Primo’s minutes were already up to 23.3 minutes per game to start this season. But as previously mentioned, Primo threw away a golden opportunity to develop his NBA career before age 20.
As of now, Primo is taking time away from the NBA to deal with what he calls previous trauma.
“I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement. I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I have 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,” Primo said.
However, with Josh Primo also now facing lawsuits over his misconduct, it remains to be seen if he will ever get another shot in the NBA.
Guess the Lakers players!
