Bucks veteran Patrick Beverley suspended by NBA for throwing ball at fans
The offseason has officially started for Bucks guard Patrick Beverley after the Indiana Pacers knocked Milwaukee out of the playoffs in the first-round, and it just got longer.
The NBA announced Thursday that Beverley has been suspended for four games for forcefully throwing a ball multiple times at spectators and an inappropriate interaction with a reporter after the Bucks’ season-ending loss to the Pacers on May 2 in Indianapolis. That means Beverley will serve his suspension without pay next season and will be ineligible for the first four games of the 2024-25 season.
Bucks guard Patrick Beverley (21) during Game 6 against the Pacers.
The incident happened as the Bucks trailed 114-94 with 2:32 remaining in Game 6. Beverley had just checked out of the game, when he threw a basketball into the stands behind the bench. The ball hit a Pacers fan in the face. Beverley asked the fans for the ball back and then chucked it again into the crowd with greater force.
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He finished the night with six points, five assists and two rebounds, and wasn’t penalized for the throws during the game, but the league handed down a swift suspension on Thursday.
PATRICK BEVERLEY throws ball at Pacers fans, later removes reporter from interview
What happened?
Beverley accepted responsibility for the incident on “The Pat Bev Podcast.”
“Unfortunate situation that should’ve never happened,” Beverley said on May 7. “What I did was bad, and that should have never happened. I have to be better and I will be better. That should have never happened, regardless of what was said, simple as that.”
It’s not clear what led to the altercation. The Athletic reported that a fan shouted “Cancun on 3” before Beverley tossed the ball their direction. Beverley, who was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Bucks in February, later claimed on X that the Bucks “warned and asked for help all night” following exchanges “between a fan and our ball club all night.” Beverley added, “Not fair at all.”
Beverley didn’t share what was said exactly on his podcast, but he did say “crazy” comments that “crossed the line” were shouted his way: “Let’s just say it was more than ‘Cancun on three.’ I’ve been called a lot of stuff in this league. I haven’t been called that one. Still inexcusable. It doesn’t matter what was said.”
PATRICK BEVERLEY: ‘I was absolutely wrong’ for throwing basketball at Pacers fans
“Inside the NBA” analyst Charles Barkley said Beverley crossed the line with his “stupid” act and is deserving of a lengthy suspension.
“He hit that lady in the head,” Barkley said during TNT’s broadcast. “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.”
Beverley is no stranger to discipline from the league, which factors prior unsportsmanlike conduct into future punishments. Here’s a look at Beverley’s past incidents:
May 2024: Beverley apologizes for shunning ESPN reporter
Beverley’s antics did not end on the court. During his post-game media scrum in the Bucks’ locker room, according to a video clip posted on social media, Beverley interrupted one question and turned to someone holding an ESPN microphone.
Following the ball throwing incident on Thursday, Beverley also had an exchange with longtime ESPN producer Malinda Adams in the locker room. Social media videos show Beverley interrupt the postgame interview to ask Adams if she subscribes to his podcast, “The Pat Bev Show,” which airs on the Barstool Sports network. After Adams said no, Beverley shunned her, asked her to leave and went as far as swatting her microphone away: “You can’t interview me then. No disrespect.”
January 2023: Technical foul for camera-referee antics
Before the start of the Lakers’ 125-121 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Jan. 28, 2023, where referees failed to call a foul on Jayson Tatum when it was clear he hit LeBron James’ arm on a potential game-winning shot, Beverley grabbed a camera, walked to referee Eric Lewis and tried to show him James was fouled.
Lewis did not care for Beverley’s attempt to provide evidence of the foul and gave him a technical foul. As Beverley walked back to the Lakers bench, he held the camera in the air while pointing at it and looking back at Lewis.
MORE: Patrick Beverley gets technical for showing ref camera after LeBron James doesn’t get call
November 2022: Three game suspension for shoving Deandre Ayton
With Phoenix leading 106-96 late in their 115-105 win over the Lakers on Nov. 22, 2022, Suns’ Devin Booker was called for a Flagrant One foul on Lakers’ Austin Reaves after Booker hit Reaves in the face on a block attempt. Reaves was on the ground with Booker and Deandre Ayton standing over him, when Beverley ran over and pushed Ayton from behind. Beverley, who played on the Lakers from 2022-2023, was suspended for three games.
“Very unprofessional by myself. Definitely could have reacted in a different way,” Beverley later said. “So, yeah, I’m a big boy. I’ll take my lumps however they come.”
July 2021: One game suspension for shoving Chris Paul
The Suns moved on to the 2021 NBA Finals after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 130-103 in the Conference Finals on June 30, 2021. Beverley, who played on the Clippers from 2017-2021, shoved Suns star Chris Paul from behind with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. Beverley was suspended one game for the shove, which the league said Beverley would serve the first game of the 2021-22 NBA regular season.
The next day, Beverley tweeted in apology: “@CP3 emotions got the best of me last night gang. My bad wasn’t meant for you. Congrats on making it to the Finals. Best of Luck.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bucks veteran Patrick Beverley suspended by NBA for throwing ball at fans