The NBA suspends Bucks' Patrick Beverley four games for throwing balls at fans and kicks a reporter out of the interview

Patrick Beverley of the Milwaukee Bucks has been suspended four games without pay from the NBA for throwing a basketball at fans and for his interaction with an ESPN reporter after Game 6 of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.

In the final minutes of the Bucks’ Game 6 loss to the Pacers, which ended the series and sent the Pacers to the Eastern Conference semifinals, Beverley was seen throwing a ball toward Pacers fans, hitting them in the head. Beverley then motioned for another fan to throw the ball back to him, which he did, and then Beverley threw the ball right back to him.

Beverley continued to scold fans behind her bench before teammates and others diffused the situation. He was not excluded from the game, but did not return either. The Bucks were 20 points behind at that point.

“It is an unfortunate situation that should never have happened. What I did was bad and it should never have happened. I have to be better and I will be better,” Beverley said on his podcast this week.

Beverley added that he reacted this way because of what fans said.

“No matter what was said … it was more than ‘Cancun on three,'” Beverley said. “Let’s just say it was more than that. I’ve been insulted a lot in this league, but not like this. Still inexcusable, it doesn’t matter what was said. I have to get better and “I will be better.”

Indianapolis police are investigating the ball throwing incident between Beverley and Pacers fans.

Detectives confirmed the investigation to The Athletic on Wednesday and said they were reviewing video footage from Gainbridge Fieldhouse and planned to speak with all parties. It is unclear whether they will press criminal charges.

Patrick Beverley, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, will serve his suspension starting next season. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The other reason Beverley is suspended is because he refused to answer questions from ESPN’s Malinda Adams in a media tussle after the game because she wasn’t subscribed to his podcast.

Patrick Beverly tells an ESPN reporter that she can’t interview him because she isn’t subscribed to his podcast. pic.twitter.com/sRFHiZJaSK

— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) May 3, 2024

Beverley defended himself on his podcast, saying he had done this to other reporters in the past. But when he saw the clip go viral and receive criticism, he reached out to Adams.

“I’ve been doing this since I had a podcast,” Beverley said of the interaction. “…I get her number straight away, I’ll call her. Nobody tells me to call them. I literally find her number, call her number and say, ‘Hey, I know you probably get a lot of people.’ I reached out to you and I apologize for that. It was never my intention to disrespect you. We talked on the phone and laughed about it.

Beverley, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, will serve his four-game suspension next season.