The NBA has always had a remarkable knack for generating outrageous drama, as evidenced by the time former Raptors coach Butch Carter took legal action against Marcus Camby over some remarks he made in an interview.
Most NBA fans are likely familiar with Marcus Camby, who achieved fame at UMass before being chosen by the Toronto Raptors as the second overall pick in the 1996 draft. However, the towering player only spent two seasons with the team before being traded to the Knicks, where he went on to have a 17-season career.
On the other hand, Butch Carter is a name that only dedicated basketball enthusiasts would recall. This shooting guard failed to make a significant impact during his six-year tenure in the league during the 1980s. After Darrell Walker resigned as head coach of the Raptors following a dismal start to the 1997-98 season, Carter eventually took over the position.
Carter’s first season as coach was disastrous, with a 5-28 record (the team finished 16-66). It was evident that changes were needed. During the summer, Camby was traded to New York in exchange for Charles Oakley and Sean Marks. In 2000, Camby had the opportunity to face his former team in the playoffs, and that’s when things took an unexpected turn.
Camby flourished after joining the Knicks, and it was apparent that he sought revenge against the Raptors due to how his time with the team had ended. Prior to their playoff matchup, Camby spoke to the press and accused Carter of lying about the team’s plans to acquire players that would enhance his game shortly before the trade. Camby stated, “He is a liar…I don’t really like him. No one likes him and no one wants to play for him. That’s the kind of guy he is.”
Camby’s accusations were not the first, nor the last, instance of an NBA player calling out a member of an organization for being dishonest. Carter, given the opportunity to respond, vehemently denied the allegations, stating they were “totally inaccurate.”
One might have assumed that the matter would have ended there, but that was not the case. Instead of settling their dispute on the court, Camby and Carter took their battle to the courtroom.
A few days before the start of their playoff series, Camby was at practice when a process server arrived at his house and informed his girlfriend that Carter had filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit over the aforementioned comments. Carter stated he would drop the lawsuit if Camby issued an apology. This move by Carter was met with disbelief from figures within the NBA, and it took him only a few days to reverse course, acknowledging that “bringing the courthouse into the locker room was not the best way to address this particular matter.”
Ultimately, Camby had the last laugh as the Knicks swept the Raptors in three games. Two weeks later, Carter was fired and never coached another game in the NBA.
According to the Source brobible.com