ESPN officially weighed in on the Patrick Beverley situation Saturday. A report from Front Office Sports initially said the Milwaukee Bucks star was banned from the network following an incident with a producer following Thursday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, but conflicting reports came out shortly thereafter.
According to a statement from the network, Beverley “isn’t banned and never was.”
“There was an erroneous report that suggested Patrick Beverley was banned from appearing on ESPN,” the statement read. “He isn’t banned and never was.”
After Milwaukee’s season-ending loss, Beverley told respected producer Malinda Adams she couldn’t interview him during a postgame scrum because she didn’t subscribe to his podcast. Adams posted on social media on Friday morning to share that Beverley called her to apologize and the Bucks organization also contacted her.
“I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support,” she said. “I am humbled. 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.”
The Athletic reported the NBA is looking into the incidents, and Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said he spoke with Beverley about Thursday’s events.
But his actions toward Adams generated a strong response from current and former ESPN employees, including Stephen A. Smith. He addressed both that interaction and the one with the Pacers fan on First Take Friday morning, saying what Beverley did was “inexcusable.”
“I just can’t believe he did that,” Smith said. “I’ve known Patrick Beverley for years. I love the brother. It’s inexcusable. It’s indefensible. … The punishment is forthcoming and I suspect a severe one.
“When he threw the ball in the stands, he didn’t mean to hit the woman, he meant to throw it at the guy that was in front of her … but you should’ve never thrown it in the first place. It’s not something that you do. You don’t do that.”
Beverley arrived in Milwaukee at the NBA Trade Deadline to try and help light a spark under a Bucks team that went through an up-and-down season. The franchise had high expectations after adding Damian Lillard to the mix alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, but injury issues were among the challenges that ultimately sent the Bucks home after a first-round exit.
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