Former Michigan State star apologizes for courtside outburst, ejection
- - Former Michigan State star apologizes for courtside outburst, ejection
Steve Gardner, USA TODAYJanuary 7, 2026 at 10:41 PM
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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."
Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
">Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/KOv2VgtXdRYmPY6O_6Uuyw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/345fa3d829c8ccd0d8ed607a4ac3ecbb class=caas-img>Carmelo Anthony college dominance: In his lone season (2003), led Syracuse to a national championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman.NBA: 10× NBA All-Star. 2012–13 NBA scoring champion, averaging 28.7 points per game.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Carmelo Anthony college dominance: In his lone season (2003), led Syracuse to a national championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman.NBA: 10× NBA All-Star. 2012–13 NBA scoring champion, averaging 28.7 points per game.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/zmT00VP2h6dgyk__bnqDEg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d9486b185e314e6da990e6115f4fe37d class=caas-img data-headline="Before NBA glory: How Jordan, Bird, Magic and Curry ruled in college" data-caption="
Carmelo Anthony college dominance: In his lone season (2003), led Syracuse to a national championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman.NBA: 10× NBA All-Star. 2012–13 NBA scoring champion, averaging 28.7 points per game.
">Carmelo Anthony college dominance: In his lone season (2003), led Syracuse to a national championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman.NBA: 10× NBA All-Star. 2012–13 NBA scoring champion, averaging 28.7 points per game.
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1 / 2Before NBA glory: How Jordan, Bird, Magic and Curry ruled in college
Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
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."
Former Michigan State player Paul Davis gestures as he is ejected from the Spartans' Jan. 5 game against USC at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MIchigan.
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."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Davis, ex-Michigan State basketball star, apologizes for ejection
Source: “AOL Sports”
