Report: Patrick Beverley Called out for Disrespecting Michele Roberts in Meeting
Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley reportedly made comments toward National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts during a meeting about whether to resume the 2020 NBA playoffs that drew a strong rebuke from his fellow players.
Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported Friday the Oklahoma City Thunder's Chris Paul and Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem were among those to speak out:
"Michele Roberts, the executive director of the players union, asked to have the floor to speak about the financial ramifications of leaving Orlando.
"While she was going over the numbers, Clippers guard Patrick Beverley abruptly interrupted her, saying he disagreed with her logic, sources said. Roberts kindly reiterated that these were potential losses the players would suffer, and Beverley interrupted again.
"Roberts asked politely if she could continue with her point, and Beverley responded, 'No, I pay your salary,' sources said.
"This caused an uproar with Paul, Haslem and others, who intervened and told Beverley that disrespect would not be tolerated, sources said."
Beverley discussed the matter with reporters on Friday:
Beverley lost a close friend, Davaris, to gun violence in his hometown of Chicago in July, which led him to leave the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida.
He told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk he returned to chase a title with the Clippers while understanding there are matters beyond basketball that must be addressed:
"I cried on my way to practice on the back of the bus, man. It makes me just want to hurry up and win my championship—understanding that I have to go through every process and phase [to get] that while being fortunate to be out here with my teammates—and then get back home to my homies, get back to my friends.
"I am tired of losing people. You know? It hits home for me. I have to deal with the reality when I get back, [but until then] comforting my friends, being a leader right here, being a leader of my crew back home in Chicago."
He added: "We're having real-life issues in the world," referencing the Clippers' Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell also leaving the bubble for a period of time to deal with the death of loved ones.
In June, Beverley posted a Twitter message about following the direction of the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James in terms of whether to resume the 2019-20 season amid nationwide protests after the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody in late May:
That stance was renewed during discussions in recent days. At one point, James left a players' meeting and said "We're out." While talks continued after his departure, players knew the season wouldn't go on unless the three-time NBA champion changed his mind, which he eventually did, per Haynes.
The uncertainty about how to move forward arose after Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
NBA executive vice president Mike Bass announced the league would attempt to resume play "either Friday or Saturday" after players decided to continue with the playoffs.
The Clippers and Lakers are two of the 13 teams still active in the championship chase.
