Fansided

Worst moment in each NBA franchise’s history

By Brad Rowland

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveils the new Charlotte Hornets logo at halftime during the game against the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveils the new Charlotte Hornets logo at halftime during the game against the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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ESPN radio broadcasters P.J. Carlesimo (left) and Kevin Calabro (right) during game four of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN radio broadcasters P.J. Carlesimo (left) and Kevin Calabro (right) during game four of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Golden State – Latrell Sprewell attacks P.J. Carlesimo

In December 1997, Latrell Sprewell was one of the biggest stars in the NBA. He was a physical and athletic shooting guard with high-end scoring ability, and was selected as a first-team All-NBA player in 1993-1994 to go along with four career selections to the NBA All-Star team. That pedigree made this moment all the more shocking, as Sprewell was suspended for a full year as a result of an incident in which he choked (yes, choked) his own head coach.

That coach was P.J. Carlesimo, and Sprewell’s suspension was, at the time, the longest suspension in NBA history, trumping that of former Lakers forward Kermit Washington for a punch against Rudy Tomjanovich. Sprewell’s choking incident occurred at the end of practice, and he actually was accused of attacking Carlesimo on two separate occasions within a single day.

It is virtually unthinkable that a star NBA player would attack his own coach in a physical manner, and that is with the knowledge that it actually happened in 1997. As you probably know by now, things are going pretty well for the Golden State Warriors on the heels of their NBA title in 2014-2015, and as an organization, the Warriors are a model for others around the league. However, the incident put forth by Latrell Sprewell was a black eye to the team for a long, long time, and it remains the worst documented spat between a player and coach in league history.

Next: Houston Rockets

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