The NBA suspends Patrick Beverley for four games

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended four games without pay for violently throwing a basketball at spectators multiple times and interacting inappropriately with a reporter, the NBA announced Thursday.

Beverley’s actions took place during and after the Bucks’ 120-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round series last Thursday. This loss eliminated the Bucks from the playoffs.

Beverley, 35, is now a free agent.

A fan reportedly insulted players behind the Milwaukee bench during the final minutes of last Thursday’s game. Beverley threw a basketball at the fan, but it missed the target and hit a woman in the head.

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At that moment, another fan picked up the ball and threw it to Beverley, who aggressively threw it back. Beverley appeared to be having a conversation with the fan while teammate Jae Crowder tried to calm him down.

In an episode of his podcast, The Pat Bev Podcast, Beverley expressed remorse for his actions.

“I’m going to get better,” Beverley said during the episode, which was released on Wednesday. “I have to get better, and I will be better. This should never have happened. Regardless of what was said, this should never have happened. As simple as that.”

But it was this very podcast that caused even more controversy after last Thursday’s game. Beverley declined to answer a question from ESPN’s Malinda Adams because she was not a subscriber.

“You subscribe to my pod?” Beverley asked Adams. “Then you can’t interview me, no disrespect.”

Beverley also apologized, saying he told Adams that “it was never my intention to disrespect you.”

Beverley averaged 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 73 games (13 starts) between the Philadelphia 76ers and Bucks this season. He has contributed 8.3 points, 4.1 points and 3.4 assists in 666 career games (518 starts) with seven different NBA teams.