Sprewell Fined $10,000

Latrell Sprewell, again in the center of controversy, was fined $10,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for profane remarks to fans last weekend.

The game at Oakland, Calif., on Saturday night was the first time that Sprewell, now with the New York Knicks, faced coach P.J. Carlesimo, whom he choked in December 1997.

Sprewell shouted profanities and vulgar remarks at some fans during the game, won by the Knicks 86-79.

Shortly before the opening tip, Carlesimo approached midcourt in hopes of shaking hands with Sprewell. But Sprewell remained under the Knicks' basket and turned away from his former coach.

In Wisconsin, where Sprewell once starred at Milwaukee Washington High School, the Waukesha Freeman reported in Thursday's edition that authorities have been unable to serve a summons to Sprewell and Latoska Fields, his father, in a civil suit stemming from a collision between a personal water craft owned by Sprewell and a boat on Pewaukee Lake on Aug. 22, 1998.

Last Thursday, Waukesha County Court Commissioner David Pike gave the two 40 days to answer a court summons or risk a ruling against them.

Fields was cited for unsafe operation of the personal water craft in the accident.

A suit filed by a Waukesha family, Michael, Lori, Jessica and Jennifer Sayles, claims their boat was traveling slow when hit by the personal water craft operated by Fields, 53, and owned by Sprewell, 29. The family claimed injuries and damage to the boat. PrimeCare also is listed as a plaintiff because it covered some health care costs.

Lori Sayles told the Freeman that Sprewell could have settled the matter a long time ago, "and we would have been out of his face."

"For him, a few thousand dollars can't be anything. But it would be nice for us to have this over," she said.

Sprewell could not be contacted.

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