Former Michigan State basketball star Paul Davis has apologized for comments he made from the stands that got him ejected from the Spartans’ home game against USC on Monday, Jan. 5.
Seated courtside, Davis said something to referee Jeffrey Anderson late in the second half of the blowout victory. Anderson stopped play, walked to the other side of the court and consulted with Spartans coach Tom Izzo.
An animated Izzo gestured toward Davis, motioning him to leave the arena, and security officials escorted him out shortly afterward.
Davis, 41, showed up at the end of the Spartans’ practice session on Tuesday, Jan. 6, to apologize to the team for distracting from their win. He also appeared at Izzo’s press conference to offer a more public apology.
‘Yesterday shouldn’t have happened, but today needs to happen,’ Davis said. ‘I’m not up here to make any excuses, I’m up here to take accountability, to own it.’
Izzo had hinted that an apology was necessary when asked about the incident with Davis after Monday night’s game.
‘I love Paul Davis, I really do. He’s one of my favorite guys,’ Izzo said. ‘What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world. That ticked me off. Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m gonna have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.’’
However, Davis beat his former coach to the punch.
Izzo said he got a call from the 6-11 power forward around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, expressing a desire to speak out publicly about the incident. After talking to Izzo, Davis reached out to the referee as well.
‘It had nothing to do with the game, with Jeffrey Anderson,’ Davis said. ‘The next time we’re at a game together, we said we’re gonna have a big hug. It’ll be the first time I ever hug a ref. He couldn’t have been nicer on the phone. Nothing toward anything or anybody, it was a bad day.’
Izzo said Davis’ response to the incident reflects the type of environment he’s tried to create in East Lansing over his 31-year tenure.
‘Everybody preaches the family atmosphere. We walk the talk,’ Izzo said. ‘We do hold each other accountable. But we will always support one another.’