Former Lakers player says Bob Knight knew of Indiana team physician abuse allegations

Former Lakers subordinate Butch Carter submitted sworn grounds successful national tribunal Thursday arsenic portion of an existing people enactment suit alleging that helium was sexually abused by erstwhile University of Indiana squad doc Bradford Bomba Sr. astir 50 years ago.

Carter, 66, states that helium reported Bomba’s behaviour to erstwhile manager Bob Knight and to schoolhouse officials, but that nary enactment was taken. Carter is the 5th erstwhile Indiana subordinate to travel guardant with allegations that Bomba subjected them to “medically unnecessary, invasive and sexually abusive rectal examinations.”

Attorneys for 2 of the players — Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller — filed the Title IX lawsuit, and a justice compelled Bomba, 88, to beryllium for a deposition Dec. 4. Bomba, however, refused to reply arsenic galore arsenic 45 questions astir his alleged behaviour and his conversations with Knight, citing his 5th Amendment extortion against self-incrimination.

The suit was amended this period to see Carter and names Indiana University trustees and longtime head diversion trainer Tim Garl arsenic defendants. Knight, who led Indiana to 3 nationalist championships successful 29 seasons contempt his infamously volatile coaching style, died successful 2023 astatine property 83. Neither helium nor Bomba are named arsenic defendants.

Bomba was the squad doc for astir of Knight’s tenure, which ended erstwhile the manager was fired successful 2000. The suit alleges that athletes were required to spot Bomba for their physicals and that the docter routinely performed prostate exams connected them, which the suit says are unnecessary for college-age men.

Bomba reported to Garl, who is inactive employed astatine Indiana.

“Garl had existent cognition of and facilitated and participated successful Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s wrongful behaviour by continuing to delegate IU’s pupil athletes to Dr. Bomba, Sr. for carnal examinations with cognition that, erstwhile helium did so, Dr. Bomba, Sr. would sexually battle those students,” the suit alleges.

Carter testified that Bomba performed a rectal introspection connected him successful 1979 arsenic portion of a carnal helium was required to instrumentality aft receiving an invitation to play for USA Basketball. Until then, different doc had performed Carter’s physicals.

“At nary clip earlier the Dr. Bomba Sr. acquisition did immoderate different doc execute a rectal introspection connected me, including successful precocious school,” Carter said.

Carter said helium reported the incidental to Knight and squad trainer Bob Young and repeatedly complained to Knight astir Bomba whenever the doc was astir the team.

The suit states that Bomba’s estimation for maltreatment was openly discussed by players wrong earshot of coaches and diversion trainers. It besides alleges that assemblage officials failed to halt Bomba, successful effect allowing “a argumentation of deliberate indifference.”

The 4 plaintiffs too Carter each played astatine Indiana successful the 1990s. Carter, a 6-foot-5 guard, played for the Hoosiers from 1976 to 1980 earlier becoming a second-round draught prime of the Lakers.

Carter played 1 play successful Los Angeles earlier being traded to the Indiana Pacers and besides played for the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers during his six-year career. He served arsenic an adjunct manager with the Milwaukee Bucks for respective years earlier becoming caput manager of the last-place Toronto Raptors successful January 1998.

The Raptors turned astir nether Carter, and helium led them to a 45-37 grounds and a playoff berth successful 1999-2000. However, helium was fired aft the play during a front-office powerfulness struggle.

While coaching, Carter co-authored the publication “Born to Believe” with his member Cris — an NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings — successful which helium called Knight a bully and a “self-serving coward,” and said Knight utilized a radical slur during an aggravated tirade against a Black player.

Still, Carter said helium hoped Knight would shield players from Bomba.

Carter testified that astatine the opening of his elder twelvemonth helium told Knight helium did not privation to sojourn Bomba again, and that Knight responded: “You’re going to instrumentality a physical.” Carter insisted connected seeing different doctor, and Knight “left it alone.”