Muggsy Bogues recalled Latrell Sprewell choking P.J. Carlesimo during practice: 'You could see Coach's face turning red'

Muggsy Bogues, standing at just 5'3", experienced many unforgettable moments during his 14-season NBA career. Hailing from Baltimore, he is best known as the shortest player in league history, yet he consistently ranked among the top ten in assists and steals throughout the early 1980s to mid-90s. During this period, Muggsy was a vital part of one of the most thrilling teams in Charlotte Hornets' history.

Another significant moment in Bogues' career was his firsthand experience of the infamous incident during the 1996-97 season, which involved Golden State Warriors forward Latrell Sprewell and the team's head coach, P.J. Carlesimo, during a practice session.

In his autobiography, "Muggsy: My Life from a Kid in the Projects to the Godfather of Small Ball," the retired guard delves into this infamous day—December 1, 1997—which occurred just "a week or two" after he had joined the Dubs. "Apple" recounted that he "was right there in the middle of it when it all went down," labeling the incident as one of the "most notorious player-coach fights in league history."

"The Choke"

Known as "The Choke," the incident unfolded during a "rapid-fire exercise" when Coach Carlesimo confronted Sprewell after he had thrown a pass to himself, as Bogues recounted. The coach then yelled, "Put something on the f***ing pass!" which left both players looking at each other in confusion. However, for Latrell, then 27 years old, that confusion quickly turned into anger.

"Spree told him, 'I'm tired of you coming at me disrespectfully!'" Bogues recalled. "Coach then kicked him out of practice, and that's when Spree grabbed him by the neck. I don't know how much pressure he had around his neck. Coach Carlesimo never reached up to grab Sprewell's hands and pull them off. But you could see Coach's face turning red… Then, all of a sudden, everyone came and broke it up, and we were able to separate them."

Muggsy, who retired in 2001, pointed out that this incident didn't happen in a vacuum. Several factors added to the tension, beginning with the fact that it was a "bad year for the franchise."

The Dubs had started the season with four consecutive losses, and by the time "The Choke" took place, they were 1-13 after suffering a blowout loss to their California rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Volcanic outburst

As is often the case, responsibility for such poor performance—and the Warriors really were struggling—fell on the team's leaders. Those, according to "The Godfather of Smallball," were Carlesimo and Sprewell as he was the team's "best player by far."

"At the time Sprewell was our three-time All-Star. He was one of the best 10 to 1 players in the league," wrote the shortest NBA player ever. "Through our first 14 games, he averaged a team high 21.4 points."

The Dubs coach and star player were expected to be key figures in helping the team overcome their slump. Instead, Sprewell blew up "like a volcano" during that practice session. As Bogues, who released his book in 2023, wrote, this outburst against the head coach stemmed from their inability to collaborate effectively. Latrell, for example, believed that Carlesimo's constant yelling at him was completely out of line.

"Carlesimo had been on his back the whole season. In a way, Coach must have thought he was motivating Sprewell. But you have to know your players and know their limits," the book reads. "I would never condone what Sprewell did, but I also understood his deep frustration. He was my friend. I was sad to see him suspended for the season."

Bogues recounted that after Spree had choked P.J. and was then sent to the locker room, the team resumed practice before the 6'5" guard-forward suddenly returned. While he noted that during their next encounter, "luckily, nothing happened," this differs from some reports, which claim that Sprewell returned 20 minutes later "to continue the assault."