Former NBA star, Latrell Sprewell enjoyed a pretty great NBA career. The former Warriors, Knicks and Timberwolves player was a four-time All-Star, and was named part of the NBA’s All-First Team in 1994.
But looking back at this career, his infamous practice incident with Warriors head coach P.J. Carlesimo stands out.
In December of 1997, just at the beginning of the 1997-98 NBA season, coming off a career year, Sprewell and his head coach had a career-definig altercation. After coach Carlesimo yelled at his star player to make some better passes, Sprewell completely lost his nerves and responded by threatening to kill his coach, while dragging him backwards by his throat, choking him for so long until teammates were able to pull the All-Star off their coach.
Once separated, and with Latrell gone, things seemed to have cooled off, only for Sprewell to return 20 minutes later after showering landing a devastating punch at his coach’s face.
In the aftermath of the event, Sprewell was first suspended for 10 games without pay. But the next day, and the story going public, the Warriors voided the remainder of his contract altogether, which included $23.7 million over three years, and the NBA suspended him for one year.
Sprewell took the case to arbitration and while the contract voiding was overturned, the NBA suspended him for the rest of the season without pay, which amounted to 68 games.
