Patrick Beverly Malinda Adams Screen grab: ESPN First Take
By Ben Axelrod on

As a field producer at ESPN, Malinda Adams has made her living behind the camera. But after Patrick Beverley repeatedly snubbed her during a postgame media session on Thursday night, she now finds herself having been thrust into the spotlight.

The incident occurred in the locker room following the Milwaukee Bucks’ season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers. As reporters stood around Beverley — who had been involved in an altercation with Pacers fans during the game’s closing moments — the 35-year-old took note of Adams standing nearby him with an ESPN microphone.

“Do you subscribe to my pod?” Beverley asked Adams.

“Do I subscribe to your pod? I do not,” Adams replied.

“You can’t interview me then. No disrespect,” Beverley responded.

Beverly proceeded to take a question from a reporter who confirmed that he does, in fact, subscribe to his podcast. But over the course of his answer, the veteran point guard repeatedly asked Andrews to move her microphone and ultimately leave the scrum altogether.

Beverley’s behavior would have been questionable under any circumstances, but the fact that it involved Adams made it especially notable. In addition to singling out one of the few women in a scrum predominantly comprised of men, Beverley was picking on a well-connected producer, which resulted in no shortage of reaction from her colleagues on social media.

Taking X on Friday morning, Adams revealed that both Beverley and the Bucks have since reached out to her to apologize. The veteran ESPN producer said that she accepted the apologies and appreciated the support she has received from her colleagues following the incident.

“I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. I am humbled,” she wrote. “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.”

Suffice to say, Adams has earned a reputation for her professionalism throughout her career and her response to Beverley’s apology shows why. Meanwhile, between throwing a basketball at a fan (twice) and his behavior toward Adams, Beverley clearly has some more image rehab to do beyond his apology.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod