The famous episode of the strangulation of PJ Carlesimo by Latrell Sprewell during Warriors training on December 1, 1997 remains, despite the years, one of the strangest moments in the history of the League.
To put things in context, you have to remember that the Warriors were one win for thirteen losses at this point in the season. The All-Star guard was therefore already extremely frustrated by the situation.
In addition, and as his teammate at the time, Brian Shaw, recently recalled, PJ Carlesimo had his own way of acting as a coach. Which also irritated Spree, but also some other veterans in the locker room…
“I don’t love you!” Me neither ” !
“What we don’t really know about this case is that the judge had forbidden us to talk about it publicly,” recalls Brian Shaw in the Paul George podcast. “ The situation gradually got worse between the two. PJ Carlesimo is a great guy, off the field, in life in general. He would give you his shirt. But, as a coach, it was another story! For example, he used to call everyone 'motherfucker'. I had just arrived on a transfer from Orlando. When I arrived and saw he was talking like that, I asked if that was normal. Spree was an All-Star at the time, having represented the Warriors. PJ came from Portland, and before that from Seton Hall. He had coached in college and he brought some of that back to the NBA. But that's the kind of thing that doesn't happen in the NBA. »
Impact guard drafted with the 24th pick in 1992, elected All-Star in his second season (as well as in the best five in the League in 1994) and eminent member of the Knicks who went to the NBA finals (in 1999) and the Wolves until the conference final (in 2004), Latrell Sprewell unfortunately went down in history for several misconducts, and other statements as resounding as they were ridiculous.
A free spirit who lived at his own pace, Spree was definitely not the type of player PJ Carlesimo liked. On the contrary, he was typically the one who got on her nerves.
“ [Carlesimo] had issues with Spree regarding the dress code. Spree dressed as he wanted, he had his braids. But he was a hard worker, he got the job done and he was productive. No one could question his work ethic. But when we were moving around, he was often in jogging pants and sandals, with his headphones on. It annoyed PJ, who always made comments about her clothes and her hair. One time, Spree took off his helmet and told him, 'Look, I talked to my agent. You can fine me $500 per game if I don't follow the dress code. That's 41 away games, do the math and take the sum from my next paycheck and leave me alone once and for all! I'm going to dress how I want.' And he put his helmet back on. He listened to Wu Tang all the time, humming: 'You don't wanna fuck with a soldier' [rires]. »
Regularly called to order by his coach for his outfit, Spree constantly challenged him.
During a timeout, while Golden State is taking a beating against the Lakers, we can sense warning signs when Latrell Sprewell openly laughs and PJ Carlesimo simply calls him an imbecile.
A completely different decision
The tension was slowly building… until December 1st and this passing exercise with Muggsy Bogues.
“We were at training. Muggsy Bogues, me and Spree were shooting a basket. PJ shows up and shouts at Spree: 'You have to give me more than that!' He didn't respond, he continued to shoot. PJ comes back to us again and he attacks Spree again: 'If you don't want to do more, then get out of my gym!' Spree then replied: 'Listen to me, if you say one more thing to me, I'm going to beat you up'. We were all spread out over all the baskets and here he comes again. Spree placed his ball on the ground and headed towards PJ. He grabbed him by the neck. And honestly, given the way he spoke to him, the other players let it happen a little because he had been looking for it a bit. But assistants and staff quickly intervened to separate Spree from PJ. He was in a rage at the time and kicked the assistants who came to help PJ. They finally managed to separate them and security arrived to close the case. »
Cut by Golden State a few days later, then completely suspended by the League, Latrell Sprewell will be set up as an example of this violent NBA, corrupted by hip-hop culture. David Stern will give him an exemplary sanction for this with an entire season without playing, and twenty million dollars gone up in smoke.
But, behind the scenes, and just after the incident, the leaders of the Warriors had made a completely different decision. A much more lenient punishment, which the veterans in the locker room, including Brian Shaw, had accepted.
“We had a meeting between us right after. I was there, already as a veteran of the team, with Muggsy Bogues who was there too. PJ and Garry St Jean, who was the GM, told us: 'This incident happened internally, we have to keep it internal!' Nobody tells anyone about it. And then we discussed a suitable punishment for Spree. We decided on a ten-match suspension, plus anger management classes. We agreed on that, that was going to be the sanction. Well, I lived in Oakland. Training ends, meeting. I go home for ten minutes. I turn on the TV and see a picture of PJ with prints on his neck. The Warriors had to give their version of the facts but as we were not allowed to talk about it publicly… In the end, Spree was suspended for the entire end of the season. He lost many contracts, notably with Converse. He was portrayed as the villain. Obviously, we do not condone his action but there are always two different versions of the story. We also showed him our support during his press conference, by standing behind him. Me, Bimbo Coles, Joe Smith, Felton Spencer, Robert Horry, his old teammate from Alabama too, Duane Ferrell. Spree apologizes publicly and we move on. »
Warriors cleaning up
And for good reason, the Warriors will quickly turn the page. By making a clean slate!
“Two weeks later, someone knocked on my hotel room door, it was PJ Carlesimo. We're in Portland. He comes to tell me that me and Joe Smith have just been traded to Philadelphia for Clarence Weatherspoon. And in the end, all the guys who were behind Spree at his press conference were either transferred or cut altogether! [rires] Like Dickey Simpkins who was cut. We met him at the airport. But what are you doing here? Did they transfer you too? No, they cut me off! [rires] »
When two strong heads come to blows, that's what can happen. The Warriors did their major cleaning during this 1997/98 season. But PJ Carlesimo was in turn sacked at the start of the 1999 season…
“There were a whole bunch of things that made this incident happen but the team wasn't doing well. And PJ was tough on the team,” concludes Brian Shaw. “He behaved as coaches could do at the time. And Spree never accepted that. »
| Latrell Sprewell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1992-93 | GOS | 77 | 36 | 46.4 | 36.9 | 74.6 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 15.4 |
| 1993-94 | GOS | 82 | 43 | 43.3 | 36.1 | 77.4 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 21.0 |
| 1994-95 | GOS | 69 | 40 | 41.8 | 27.6 | 78.1 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 20.6 |
| 1995-96 | GOS | 78 | 39 | 42.8 | 32.3 | 78.9 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 18.9 |
| 1996-97 | GOS | 80 | 42 | 44.9 | 35.4 | 84.3 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 24.2 |
| 1997-98 | GOS | 14 | 39 | 39.7 | 18.8 | 74.5 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 21.4 |
| 1998-99 | NYK | 37 | 33 | 41.5 | 27.3 | 81.2 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 16.4 |
| 1999-00 | NYK | 82 | 40 | 43.5 | 34.6 | 86.6 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 18.6 |
| 2000-01 | NYK | 77 | 39 | 43.0 | 30.4 | 78.3 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 17.7 |
| 2001-02 | NYK | 81 | 41 | 40.4 | 36.0 | 82.1 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 19.4 |
| 2002-03 | NYK | 74 | 39 | 40.3 | 37.2 | 79.4 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 16.4 |
| 2003-04 | MIN | 82 | 38 | 40.9 | 33.1 | 81.4 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 16.8 |
| 2004-05 | MIN | 80 | 31 | 41.4 | 32.7 | 83.0 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 12.8 |
| Total | 913 | 39 | 42.5 | 33.7 | 80.4 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 18.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
