Police open investigation into Bucks’ Patrick Beverley hurling ball at fan
Indianapolis police announced Wednesday that they have opened an investigation into an altercation between NBA player and citizen that took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse the night Bucks guard Patrick Beverley threw a ball at a fan in the final minutes of a season-long loss to the Pacers. .
Police said in a news release that the case has been referred to detectives, “who are currently investigating this situation and are taking all allegations seriously.”
Detectives will present the case to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation, the news release said.
Cameras showed Beverley sitting on the bench and throwing a ball into the stands, hitting a fan in the head with about two and a half minutes left in the game on May 2. After another fan threw the ball back to Beverley, who extended his arm for it, the Bucks guard shot it back to that spectator.
Beverley spoke about his behavior on an episode of The Pat Bev Podcast released on Wednesday. He said he was called a word that had never been mentioned before, but added that his own actions were “still inexcusable.”
“I’ll get better,” he said. “I have to be better, and I will be better. That should never have happened. No matter what was said, this should never have happened. Simple as that.”
Beverley added that the atmosphere in Indiana was “great”, apart from “a handful of fans” crossing the line. The Pacers defeated the Bucks 120-98 and knocked Milwaukee out of the playoffs.
“I don’t take basketballs to the bench anymore,” Beverley said. “That… threw off my whole feeling.”
After the match, Beverley did not allow ESPN journalist Malinda Adams to ask him a question in a group interview in the locker room. He said it was because she didn’t subscribe to his podcast. Beverley told her to move her microphone away from his face and eventually asked her to leave the interview circle.
On his podcast Wednesday, Beverley said he had asked that to reporters who interviewed him since he launched his podcast. Beverley said he told Adams that “it was never my intention to disrespect you.”
A day after the loss, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Beverley’s behavior was “not the Milwaukee way or the Bucks way.”
“We’re better than that,” Rivers said. ‘Pat thinks that’s terrible. He also understands emotionally – this is an emotional game and things happen – unfortunately you are immediately judged and he let the emotions get the best of him.