By Mark Gray
10:00am PDT, May 7, 2024
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NBA player Patrick Beverley is likely to face suspension and a massive fine after throwing a basketball at a fan's head in the waning moments of his team's playoff loss and ousting on May 2. While standing on the bench toward the end of the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers game that night, Pat whipped a basketball toward a fan and ended up smacking a woman in the head. He then got the ball back and chucked it at a male fan.
But that wasn't the end of his antics. During a locker room interview following the game, he told ESPN producer Malinda Adams that she couldn't question him because she didn't subscribe to his podcast. He then asked her to move away from him.
On May 3, Malinda took to X to address the situation: "I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. I am humbled. Patrick Beverley just called me and apologized. I appreciate it and accept it," she wrote. "The Bucks also reached out to apologize. I've been in news for over 40 years and kindness and grace always win."
While the reporter accepted Patrick's apology, others weren't as quick to forgive, as many athletes and ESPN personalities sounded off on the controversial player.
Read on to see what others are saying…
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As video of the on-court incident was making the rounds online, Patrick Beverley — who's often described as a player with a short fuse — tried to pin the blame on one of the fans: "Not fair at all. Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night. Not fair," the Milwaukee Bucks guard wrote on X. "But I have to be better. And I will," he added.
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"You can't hit a lady, ever! Listen, I've done stupid stuff and I got criticized. That's just wrong. He's gonna get suspended for that. And that's gonna be a good one, too. Cause he didn't do it once. He did it twice." —Charles Barkley via TNT
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"I just can't believe he did that. I've known Patrick Beverley for years. I love the brother. It's inexcusable. It's indefensible. … The punishment is forthcoming and I suspect a severe one." —Stephen A. Smith via ESPN
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"He's old enough to know that what he did at the end of the game on the court was something you can never do as a professional athlete. … The story of the night is that Patrick Beverley is an a******." —Pat McAfee
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"To my friend @MalindaAdams, you have made so many assignments feel safe and comfy for all of us with your professionalism. You are beloved. To those who don't know her: We call her 'Mama Malinda' because of her warmth and kindness. She is one of my favorite people in life, not just at ESPN. To see her disrespected for no reason while just doing her job makes me sick. I look forward to the massive apology she is owed." —ESPN host Laura Rutledge
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"Just so y'all know, the beautiful soul to whom he directed this foolishness is Malinda Adams, who is among the kindest, hardest-working, best, most-respected people in ALL of media — not just at ESPN — and the dearest of friends to all of her friends." —ESPN reporter Marty Smith
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"Guess how many subscribers he's about to lose now. Guess how many fans he's about to lose now that he once had. You just can't do those type of things. I have a lot of respect for Patrick Beverley … but at the end of the day, when you become to that point where you think you're above everybody else, you can miss me with all that." —Kendrick Perkins via ESPN.
Kendrick added on X, "Come on @patbev21 you're more playa than this my guy! This ain't it G."
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"Pat Bev threw a ball at a fan last night. … [NBA Commissioner Adam Silver] is going to have a problem on his hands. It's about as close as you can get to going into the stands. That is forbidden for us. Then Pat didn't follow it up very well because he followed it up with getting into it with a female reporter about not subscribing to his podcast. … Pat, you can't keep having thess moments, man, at the end of these losses." —Draymond Green via his podcast
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"Veteran producer Malinda Adams happens to be one of the most respected and professional people we have at ESPN. Bev, you're going to have to make a couple apologies for stuff tonight." —ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst
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"Malinda Adams doesn't need anyone to defend her. But I will say this about that excuse for a man: Bless his heart." —ESPN host Nicole Briscoe
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"We don't know the circumstances, but it certainly appears he crossed the line. … You can't throw a ball at a fan." —Ernie Johnson via TNT
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"This was a bonehead decision, a really dumb decision. … And then what he did to the reporter in the locker room was kind of disgraceful. Just be classy, take the loss, take the trash talk and hold yourself to a higher standard. It was embarrassing." —ESPN contributor Jay Williams
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"How is subscribing to his podcast a requirement for holding a microphone so ESPN can use his comments in a postgame open locker room? Not to mention Malinda Adams is unquestionably among the nicest people in the world and a total professional." —ESPN reporter Ed Werder
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"Thank you for making everyone around you better, Mama Malinda. You are adored for good reason." —ESPN broadcaster Molly McGrath
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"One thing we DO NOT tolerate is clown behavior … especially when directed at one of the best producers sports journalism — and ESPN — has ever seen. … Shouldn't have been pulling that weak s*** with local media either." —ESPN reporter Kimberley Martin
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"It goes without saying this goes way beyond the pale. … The first one was bad enough. This is just overwhelmingly inexcusable." —"Get Up" host Mike Greenberg said while referring to Patrick Beverley throwing the basketball at a fan
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"The first line in @MalindaAdams X bio is: 'Kindness counts, work hard, have good manners.' Seems like one heck of a lady" —Chase Daniel
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"When he wasn't hitting a female fan in the head with a basketball or scoring 6pts in 40mins on 3 for 11 shooting, @patbev21 pulled [clown] nonsense on a veteran producer just doing her job. Asking PatBev to be better is a waste of time. Just don't be this." —ESPN host Randy Scott
