Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal found himself under police investigation in March over a fan incident after a game against the Orlando Magic.
The incident stemmed from a fan who claimed to have lost a bet and blamed Beal for it. The man yelled to Beal, “You made me lose $1,300, you f—,” ESPN reported, citing police documents.
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) dribbles the ball up the court against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. (Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports)
Beal turned around and walked to a friend of the fan who made the comment and allegedly knocked his hat off, making contact with the side of his head, according to the report.
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According to ESPN, the complaint says that “probable cause exists to charge Beal with simple battery” and charges would be filed with the state attorney’s office.
Beal addressed the incident on Monday at his end-of-season media availability, saying that he’s noticed an increase in hostility related to sports gambling over the last several years.
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Mar 21, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots over Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half at Amway Center. (Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports)
“There’s been a little bit more developing, ongoing nastiness in the last few years with the sports gambling stuff. I understand,” Beal told reporters. “I go to casinos, I gamble, I understand that. But I also understand it’s probably a 99% chance I’m going to lose all this s—. So, I’m not sitting here about to get angry at the dealer or angry at everybody else.”
“I get it. Nobody wants to lose money. I get it. If you keep it about sports, I’m all for it. But I think it’s when people start getting personal, talking about your family, talking about your character, your integrity towards the game. I think all of that, we can save it. We can really keep those comments to ourselves.”
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The Wizards’ season came to an end on Sunday against the Houston Rockets, ending the year losing 15 of their last 20 games.
Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball against the Sacramento Kings at Capital One Arena on March 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
Washington missed out on the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
“I think Vegas preseason said we were going to win 35 games; we won 35 games. That’s disgusting to me,” Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said, according to ESPN. “I think internally we had much higher goals, but you can’t argue with your record. It is what it is. We’ve got to get better.”
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report
