Former Michigan State and NBA player Paul Davis was ejected from the Breslin Center during the Spartans' 80-51 victory over Southern California on Monday night after he vocally criticised the officials from the stands.
With just over six minutes remaining and Michigan State leading 67-46, officials gestured towards the crowd to identify Davis, who was subsequently ordered to leave the arena.
Longtime Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who coached Davis two decades ago, expressed his disappointment after the game. 'You know, I love Paul Davis,' Izzo said. 'He's one of my favourite guys. But what he said, he should never say in the world. That ticked me off.'
Davis, 41, played for Michigan State from 2002-06, averaging 13.2 points and seven rebounds over his career. He later played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers and Washington Wizards.
Izzo praised Davis for his continued involvement with the programme, including helping players during summer workouts, and said he wants Davis to keep returning. However, Izzo intends to discuss the incident with his former player. 'I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it,' Izzo said. 'He’ll say, 'I screwed up, Coach. Sorry.' He kind of got after the official, and he was 150% wrong.'
