LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 28, 2020

Pat Beverley

Press Conference

Q. Pat, two questions: You guys as a team, what led you guys to reach the position you were at Wednesday night in terms of deciding not wanting to play, and then what discussions were happening for the next 12 hours to lead the team to say, you know what, let's play? And then also, with you, what transpired --

PAT BEVERLEY: Let me answer that part before I forget. I think collectively as a team, we just wanted to stay united with every other team here in the bubble, and of course the dialogue that we had was between players, players only, but whatever dialogue that was, it came out to be positive. Anything with communication, good communication, bad communication, emotional communication, any type of communication leads to answers, and we've been fortunate to have a good PA. We've been fortunate to have a great NBA foundation that we were able to take care of our families, and communication was good and it led to some action, and that's the most important thing.

Q. Would you care to address what transpired between yourself and Michele Roberts? Obviously that was a topic.

PAT BEVERLEY: Oh, just we had a very interesting conversation. The PA is like a family. I'm pretty sure everyone here and all the cameras pointing to me, everyone is part of a family. You don't always agree with your family members, and that's okay. You communicate about it and you try to make it better. Whatever the dialogue was or whatever you guys think it is, we made things better yesterday, meeting with the owners, and that's the most important thing.

Q. There were reports that you guys, the Clippers and the Lakers, were ready in the initial polling to not continue with the season, and then yesterday obviously everybody agreed to play. What have the last like 24, 48 hours been like as far as the emotions for you guys as far as a team?

PAT BEVERLEY: We have a championship mindset here. After I'm done talking to you good people, I'm going to be heading to practice and trying to compete and try to get ready for the Dallas Mavericks.

Q. The NBA and the PA put out a statement this morning kind of detailing some of the social justice initiatives that they're going to make arenas polling places and things like that --

PAT BEVERLEY: Yeah, big step. That just comes from communication. It's hard to kind of get so many NBA guys in one room together. I think it was a funny analogy, like man, you probably have some of the wealthiest African-Americans in one room in the country together, and when you get in one room and you get to talk, just like you believe in certain things I might not believe in and vice versa and everyone here, and it's good dialogue, good conversations which led to action, and we were able to get that action. I think Doc was there kind of leading the forefront of that, and we're excited. We're excited to stay here. We're excited to be here, and we're excited to not only compete but be a pioneer in today's change within the world.

Q. The question is when all of you predominantly African-American males have a conversation with predominantly wealthy billionaires that are white --

PAT BEVERLEY: I don't know. I wasn't in that conversation, so I don't even know how to answer it. The only one I talk to on a daily basis is Steve Ballmer.

Q. I know what you're saying, but when you guys finally hear what the plan is, is there some satisfaction that they hear in your voices and you hope they take that back to the people they have power with?

PAT BEVERLEY: Yeah, I think everybody is just trying to help. That's it. Everyone is just trying to help the cause and trying to get a positive change out of this. I think that's the message. That's been the message. That's been the only message.

Q. To your point about Steve Ballmer, what have been your takeaways on what his position has been?

PAT BEVERLEY: I mean, it goes without saying. You see it, like that's something we're don't have to talk about. You see it and you feel it. I mean, that speaks for itself.

Q. Is there optimism around change happening? What is success going to look like for you after this kind of situation right now?

PAT BEVERLEY: I don't understand the question.

Q. What will success look like? What will have to happen from the conversations you guys have had as players --

PAT BEVERLEY: I think everything like that takes time. Our platform is here, and just to use that platform to inspire, motivate, give knowledge, listen, whatever the case may be, and when you get out of here, just continue to keep that same attitude. Take it to your communities, take it to where you play at. It's all step by step, just try to get better and better.

Q. One of the big things we saw was Doc Rivers was kind of the voice of everything that's been happening the last couple days. His speeches went viral. How proud were you to have him as a coach in that moment?

PAT BEVERLEY: He's a blessing, especially him being from Chicago, so I kind of understand his lingo more than kind of anybody here. But Doc, he's helped us, not only as a coach, but he's helped us kind of steer things in the right direction that we need to steer to, and he has knowledge. He's been around. He has a lot of connections. He has a lot of access to doors that me or anybody else might not have access to. He's able to put out in words that me as an athlete that I might not be able to put out. He's able to put those words out and deliver a message to not only get through to the African-American, that gets through to everybody.

To -- f--- that, not even a coach, to even have a person like that, to even have a person like that that's in your corner, that's riding for you, to s---, put the ball in your hands, to even have a person like that it's a great deal of respect, and he's from the crib, too, so it's respected and it's all love there, you know.