Former MSU Star Paul Davis Apologizes to Ref After Ejection Was Called Out by Tom Izzo

Tom Izzo surely yelled at Paul Davis a number of times throughout the former Michigan State big man's collegiate career.

But the Spartans coach likely never expected he would have to yell at his former player sitting in the crowd for a game two decades later.

Yet that is exactly what happened during Michigan State's matchup with USC on Monday. Officials stopped play during the second half to address something a fan said by approaching Izzo, who then expressed his anger at said fan.

It turns out that fan was a former Michigan State player in Davis.

Davis told reporters he apologized to the official, Michigan State players and fans in the aftermath.

While Izzo yelled across the court for Davis to leave during the game, he told reporters after the contest that he loves his former player.

"What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world," the coach continued. "And that ticked me off. Just because it's 25 years later, I'm gonna have to tell him what I thought of it."

Izzo also said Davis' comment toward the official wasn't racial or sexual in nature.

Davis played at Michigan State from 2002-03 through 2005-06 and was an All-Big Ten First-Team selection in his second season. He averaged 13.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field during his collegiate career, which was enough to convince the Los Angeles Clippers to select him with a second-round pick in the 2006 NBA draft.

He then played four seasons in the NBA for the Clippers and Washington Wizards but was never more than a secondary contributor.

Davis' interaction with the official came when Monday's game was well in hand, as the Spartans cruised to an 80-51 victory. They are now 13-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play after Coen Carr (18 points and six rebounds) and Jeremy Fears Jr. (15 points and seven assists) led the way against the Trojans.

Izzo spoke to his former player about the incident, and it would be a surprise if Davis ever interacts with the officials in such a way again.