Sprewell Admits He Was Wrong, But Says He Rates Another Chance

He acknowledged he has a temper, and he took responsibility for what he’s done.

All an apologetic Latrell Sprewell wants now is another chance.

“I have worked hard to get where I am today,” Sprewell said at a news conference Tuesday with Johnny Cochran Jr. and agent Arn Tellem by his side. “My career didn’t happen overnight, and I don’t think it should have been taken away from me overnight.”

In his first public comments since losing his job for attacking Golden State coach P.J. Carlesimo, Sprewell said that even though he was out of line, he shouldn’t be deprived of making a living.

“I know this conduct is not acceptable in society and professional sports. I accept responsibility for what I’ve done,” he said, pausing occasionally to sigh deeply while reading his statement. Behind him stood six former teammates, including Joe Smith and Muggsy Bogues.

Sprewell called Carlesimo on Sunday to apologize for choking and threatening to kill him during practice Dec. 1. Sprewell said he didn’t want to apologize publicly before talking to Carlesimo privately.

“I am a good person and I’ve never had any situation like this come up before,” the 27-year-old guard said. “I feel 10 years of hard work shouldn’t be taken away for one mistake.”

Sprewell, a three-time All-Star, was fired by the Warriors last Wednesday, costing him the $25 million he was to be paid over the final three years of his four-year contract. The next day, the NBA suspended him for one year, the longest non-drug suspension in league history.

The players’ union has filed grievances against the NBA and the Warriors, arguing the penalties were excessive. And Sprewell himself said he never got a chance to tell his side of the story before being penalized, a point the NBA disputes.

The case will be heard no sooner than Jan. 4 by arbitrator John Feerick, dean of Fordham Law School.

Tellem and Billy Hunter, executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, said at the news conference that race was not a factor in the confrontation, although the agent had hinted during the weekend that he thought it may have played a role.

Meanwhile, Houston Rockets forward Charles Barkley said some players may boycott the NBA All-Star game or the World Championships in Greece if the league doesn’t ease the punishment.

“I think I’d have great support for a boycott,” Barkley said. “I’ve talked with several players about it… . If we don’t make a stand, it’s going to be bad.”

Barkley declined to name the players he contacted.

Sprewell said he felt he had been treated unfairly after the attack and that he’s been “looked on as a negative person.”

“I’ve been vilified. Every time I look at a clip it’s always a picture of me looking mad and being aggressive. It was always negative. I felt that was unfair,” he said.

“I know going through all this makes me a better person and a better man,” he said. “Hopefully, nothing like this will happen again. There are lessons to be learned. Hopefully, we can all learn.”

The news conference was held in the Oakland Convention Center, the building the Warriors use for practice, and began less than an hour after a workout.

In addition to Smith and Bogues, Sprewell was joined by former teammates Bimbo Coles, Felton Spencer, Brian Shaw and David Vaughn. Robert Horry of the Lakers, a teammate at Alabama, also was on hand.

Sprewell’s attack not only shook up the NBA and all of sports, but sparked a national debate over sportsmanship, role models and authority figures.

Sprewell has said he was verbally abused by Carlesimo, an intense, in-your-face coach, who feuded with Rod Strickland while with the Portland Trail Blazers.

“There were times I reached out and tried to rectify the situation here at Golden State,” Sprewell said. “No one wanted to hear what I had to say. All I wanted was for the league to hear me out. No one was willing to listen at that time.”

Sprewell gave no details of the attack and was advised not to answer questions because of the pending arbitration. Carlesimo, in his first year at Golden State, and other Warriors officials declined to comment for the same reason.

Disputing Sprewell’s claim that he never was able to tell his side of the story, the NBA said he was one of 23 people interviewed by league officials and that he never requested a meeting before his suspension.

Witnesses said Sprewell grabbed Carlesimo by the throat and threatened to kill him during practice for a team that began the season 1-13. About 15 minutes later, Sprewell returned to practice and again confronted the coach, who was left with a 3-inch red mark on his neck.

Some reports have said Sprewell threw a punch at Carlesimo during that second encounter, and NBA commissioner David Stern labeled that confrontation a “clearly pre-meditated assault.”

But a source said Tuesday that Sprewell disputes some reports of the second confrontation and that he never tried to assault Carlesimo a second time.

Cochran, who successfully defended O.J. Simpson on murder charges, said Sprewell’s punishment was far too severe. Hunter called it unprecedented. “In 1994, Alvin Robertson assaulted Billy McKinney, who was the general manager at Detroit,” Hunter said, “Nothing was done.”

“I don’t want to see Latrell get washed away.”

Cochran added: “We believe strongly this has been a rush to judgement, where nobody has listened to his side.

“This penalty was arbitrarily and capriciously imposed on him,” said Cochran, who is acting as an adviser to Sprewell and Tellem.