Patrick Beverley Sued by Fans for Throwing Ball at Them During Playoff Game

Beverley was subsequently suspended for the incident.

February 25, 2025

Basketball player on the court wearing a green jersey and white headband, with a focused expression, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

(Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

Patrick Beverly has been sued for throwing a basketball at a pair of fans during a playoff game last season.

Last week, two Indiana Pacers fans filed a lawsuit in Marion County Superior Court, claiming they’re still experiencing medical expenses, mental anguish, humiliation, and lost wages from the incident with Beverley. In the closing minutes of the Game 6 whooping of the Milwaukee Bucks at the hands of the Pacers in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Beverley hurled the game ball at Jessica Simmons and Katie Lanciotti during a timeout.

Footage shared on social media showed Beverley throwing the ball into the stands and hitting one of the women in her head. A fan sitting near the woman tossed the ball back to Beverley, and he tossed it into the crowd once again.

According to their lawsuit, the women attended the game separately but were both sitting near the Bucks’ bench when Beverley threw the ball right into the side of Lanciotti’s head hard enough to break the necklace that she wore. Lanciotti claimed she suffered immediate pain and soreness from the hit.

Once he received the ball once again, Beverley threw it even “harder” into the stands and hit Simmons directly in her chest and face, where she, too, suffered from immediate pain and soreness. The women then claimed they were further embarrassed by security escorting them via a “perp walk.”

The lawsuit also stated that Beverley apologized for the incident in his podcast, but his claims that they were trash-talking were false. The fans are also suing the Bucks organization for being “responsible and liable” for Beverley tossing the ball in anger as assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer is also listed as a defendant and claimed to have engaged in a back-and-forth with fans.

The women are seeking a judge to impose punitive damages in addition to recouping medical expenses, missed work, and other damages. Beverley was under criminal investigation following the incident, but no charges were filed. However, the NBA suspended him, which he has yet to serve since he plays for the Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Club in Israel.