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Patrick Beverley Explains What Happened During Altercation With Fan in Bucks–Pacers

The veteran guard apologized for throwing a basketball at fans behind the Bucks' bench.

Tom Dierberger

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley is held back by teammates during a playoff game against the Indiana Pacers.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley is held back by teammates during a playoff game against the Indiana Pacers. / Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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Patrick Beverley addressed the incident from the closing minutes of the Milwaukee Bucks' season-ending 120–98 loss to the Indiana Pacers last week when he threw a basketball at a fan—twice—sitting behind the team bench.

"Unfortunate situation that should never have happened," Beverley said on the Pat Bev Podcast. "What I did was bad, and that should never happen. I have to be better and I will be better."

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the day after the incident that the Pacers fan yelled a rather mild taunt at Beverley as the team broke out of a huddle, referring to the Bucks' vacation plans as they were about to be eliminated from the playoffs.

"Cancun ... Cancun on three," the fan reportedly said.

Beverley, however, stated there was more said than those four words before he threw the basketball at the fan.

"Let's just say it was more than, 'Cancun on three,'" Beverley said. "Let's just say it was more than that.

"I've been called a lot of stuff in this league. I haven't been called that one. ... The things that were said to me, I could've gotten four or five fans kicked out."

Beverley also stated security at Gainbridge Fieldhouse asked him if he wanted the fans kicked out earlier in the game, but he didn't want to give them the boot.

"I'm not the guy to get fans kicked out neither," Beverley said.

Beverley, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. If the veteran finds a new NBA home by next season, he likely will serve some sort of penalty from the NBA in the form of a suspension and fine.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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