Sports

ESPN producer says Patrick Beverley apologized after rebuffing her for not subscribing to podcast

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley apologized to ESPN producer Malinda Adams on Friday, she mentioned on social media, after Beverley mentioned throughout a postgame media scrum Thursday that she couldn’t ask him a query as a result of she didn’t subscribe to his podcast.

“I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. I am humbled,” Adams wrote on X. “Patrick Beverley just called me and apologized. I appreciate it and accept it. The Bucks also reached out to apologize. I’ve been in news for over 40 years and kindness and grace always win.”

A video change captured within the locker room following Thursday’s Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers that eradicated the Bucks from the postseason confirmed Beverley asking Adams, “You subscribed to my pod?” Adams responded that she did not, to which Beverley mentioned, “You can’t interview me then. No disrespect.”

Patrick Beverley wouldn’t let non-subscribers to his podcast interview him within the locker room postgame.

Pat: “You subscribed to my pod?”

Reporter: “I do not.”

Pat: “You can’t interview me then.”

🎥 @AlexGoldenNBA pic.twitter.com/665LVyxj3l

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 3, 2024

The change adopted one other extensively criticized incident involving Beverley on Thursday. With roughly two and a half minutes left to play and down 20 factors within the loss, Beverley threw a basketball at a fan behind him from the staff’s bench. He appeared to miss his goal, a male Pacers fan, as a substitute hitting a feminine Pacers fan within the facet of the top earlier than asking for the ball again.

The man collected the ball and tossed it again to Beverley, who instantly over-the-head, double-hand chucked it again on the fan. The fan deflected the ball as Bucks workers and safety stepped in, however the fan and Beverley continued to change phrases.

According to one supply who witnessed the incident and two others who had been briefed on it, the change between Beverley and one of many followers behind the bench escalated when the Bucks had been breaking a huddle and the fan yelled, “Cancun … Cancun on 3.”

Those sources indicated that obscenities had been mentioned towards Beverley within the lead-up to the escalation.

The NBA mentioned Friday that it’s wanting into that matter.

When requested about that change after the sport, Beverley mentioned: “Nah, don’t worry about that. Nothing.” He additionally addressed it in a put up on his X account, commenting on a video of the incident with the caption: “Altercation between Pat Bev and Pacers fans behind the bench.”

“Not Fair at all,” Beverley wrote. “Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night. Not fair.”

In a separate put up on Friday morning, Beverley wrote on X, “But I have to be better. And I will.”

Bucks coach Doc Rivers mentioned Friday that he had a dialog with Beverley about his actions.

“I did (speak with Beverley) right away because that’s not the Milwaukee way or the Bucks way,” Rivers mentioned. “We’re better than that. Pat feels awful about that. He also understands emotionally — this is an emotional game and things happen — unfortunately, you’re judged immediately and he let the emotions get the better of him.”

“So, I’m glad that he called (Adams). That didn’t come from us,” Rivers continued. “We talked about things you just can’t do and so I’m glad that he called, because that call came from him, not us telling him to make that call.”

Beverley — who averaged 8.6 factors within the playoffs, peaking at 13 — scored six in Game 6, including 5 assists and two rebounds.