Fact Check: Is Patrick Beverley Banned From ESPN? Media Giant Clarifies

Patrick Beverly has been through a slew of controversies in the wake of the Milwaukee Bucks’ season-ending game 6 loss at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. First off, Beverly threw a ball at a Pacers fan in the stands after the loss. However, things turned up a notch when the 35-year-old denied an interview with ESPN’s Malinda Adams. Rumors began circulating that Beverly was banned from the platform. Causing confusion and chaos in the NBA verse.

However, ESPN issued a statement clearing any confusion regarding the subject. In a post on X, ESPN said that rumors were “an erroneous report,” adding that Patrick Beverly “isn’t banned and never was.”

Later, Adams herself took to X to clarify that Beverly had apologized to her personally. “I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. 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,” said the ESPN producer.

What happened was that Beverly asked Adams whether she was subscribed to his podcast. When she said no, the Chicago native simply said, “You can’t interview me then.” Although the former EuroCup MVP’s comments were extremely out of taste, his apology calmed things down significantly. However, another ESPN employee isn’t letting Beverly off the hook that easily.

Stephen A. Smith blasts Patrick Beverley for his behavior

Beverly’s behavior toward a fellow ESPN producer in the locker room media scrum didn’t go unnoticed by Stephen A. Smith. Other than a heavy fine, Smith also thought more consequences should come to the Bucks Star. “It’s indefensible. I love Pat Bev. I cannot defend it, not one bit. It is an incredibly bad look. A suspension? You can book it… The punishment is forthcoming and I suspect a severe one,” said Smith.

He also took shots at Beverley for the incident earlier, where he threw the ball into the stands and it hit a woman. Stephen A. added, “When he threw the ball into the stands, he didn’t mean to throw it at the woman. He meant to throw it at the guy… but he should have never thrown it the first time..”

Do you think the First Take host was right in calling for Beverly’s suspension? Or was it too extreme? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.