At the end of a 120-98 Game 6 first-round eliminating loss to the Pacers, Patrick Beverley threw a basketball into the stands, which ended up hitting an innocent girl who was sitting in the crowd. To point out, since Beverley didn't hit his intended target, he fired the ball back into the crowd once again, as it appeared he was trying to hit a Pacers fan who had been apparently trash-talking the Bucks' team for most of the game.
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As reported by Shams Charania, Indianapolis Police are now investigating the incident.
Indianapolis Police is investigating the incident between Patrick Beverley and a fan during Game 6 of Bucks-Pacers series; detectives confirm to me and @MikeVorkunov they are working with Gainbridge Fieldhouse to review video footage and plan to speak with the parties involved.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 8, 2024
Former NBA player and TNT analyst, Charles Barkley, who has been involved in his fair share of antics throughout his career commented on the situation. "It doesn't matter who he was trying to hit, you can't hit no lady ever. He hit that lady in the head. I've done stupid stuff, and I've got criticized. That's just wrong, he's going to get suspended for that. And that's going to be a good one too, because he didn't just do it once, he did it twice."
Throughout his 12-year career, Beverley has been suspended two other times, but undoubtedly the most punitive punishment is going to stem from this one, which will presumably be given out after the investigation is finished being conducted.
To make matters worse, and what commissioner Adam Silver will take into consideration when deciding on the length of his suspension, this is not Beverley's first time throwing a ball into the crowd. That is to say, while a member for the Clippers, on October 22, 2019, in a game vs. the Lakers, Beverley tossed a ball into the stands at Staples Center and jokingly stated after the victory, "Fans were so great, tried to give the GAME BALL!! SORRY." Notably, after this incident, he was fined $25,000 by the league office, which means a justifiable penalty will certainly be much steeper this time around, considering there was ill-intent in regards to what took place in Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
After the video of Beverley hitting a fan with the ball went viral, Beverley took to social media to give his side of the story on X.
Not Fair at all. Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night. Not fair. 🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️ https://t.co/e2o0lcqZtg
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) May 3, 2024
Many were wondering what exactly prompted Beverley to lose his temper and throw a fastball into the area of innocent fans. Well Shams reported that the events unfolded as a result of an Indiana fan taunting the third-seeded Bucks' and their first-round exit from the playoffs, seemingly insinuating the team will go on an early off-season trip to Cancun after the series loss.
Sources: The exchange between Patrick Beverley and one of the fans in Indianapolis escalated when the Bucks were breaking huddle Thursday night, and the fan yelled, “Cancún...Cancún on 3.”
NBA is looking into Beverley’s exchange with fans in game and media postgame, per source.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 3, 2024
Including the regular season, In-Season Tournament, and postseason, the Pacers went 8-3 vs. the Bucks this year, including winning the first-round playoff series, thereupon indeed sending Milwaukee on an early summer vacation.
To also mention, in a separate incident that same night, Beverley had an awkward encounter with ESPN's field producer Malinda Adams. With attention to Beverley's behavior during an interaction with Adams in the postgame interview, he is now banned from making any future guest appearances on ESPN.
To highlight, here is how the conversation went:
Beverley said to Adams, "You subscribe to my pod?
Adams responded back, "Do I subscribe?... I do not."
Beverley declared, "You can't interview me then, no disrespect."
Adams didn't give up, as she tried to keep the mic within distance, while the Bucks' player was answering questions, but that is when Beverley saw her out of the corner of his eye and then forced Adams to get out of the locker room.
"Move that mic please or just get out the circle please for me, please ma'am, if you not subscribed to my pod."
Patrick Beverly tells female reporter from ESPN that she cannot interview him since she doesn't subscribe to his podcast. pic.twitter.com/sRFHiZJaSK
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) May 3, 2024
I guess before you can talk with the 35-year-old veteran role player, it is a prerequisite to subscribe to his podcast, "The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone," which Beverley will be able to put all of his time and effort into, now that both his season is over, and also considering he is banned from going on ESPN.
