NBA player gets death threats from ball boy

A ball boy for the Oklahoma City Thunder is being investigated for making an alleged death threat to Houston Rockets player Patrick Beverley, according to Oklahoma City police.

The incident is believed to have stemmed from a play in which Beverley injured Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, tearing Westbrook's meniscus, requiring surgery and forcing him to miss the remainder of the playoffs.

Oklahoma City police spokesman Captain Dexter Nelson said his department is working with Houston police and NBA security officials in what is being described as "internet threats," according to the Houston Chronicle.

Mitchell Brown sent a tweet that threatened, “Patrick Beverly (sic), I'm coming to kill you.” He sent another using Beverley's Twitter handle; “@pavbev21 I'm coming to kill you.”

Shortly after Thunder officials were told of the tweets, Brown deleted them with an apology. “Yesterday I posted something completely inappropriate and I need to apologize. I was out of line and it will not happen again.”

He later removed that tweet and instead said his account was hacked. “@patbev21 yesterday someone tweeted on my account making a death threat towards you and it wasn't me. I apologize.”

Thunder spokesperson Matt Tumbleson said, “We do not condone his comments. He works game nights on a voluntary basis. We will handle this matter internally.”

When asked about the threats from the ball boy, Beverley smiled and shrugged it off. “It’s pretty funny to me, especially coming from a ball boy,” he said. “He’s probably one of those Oklahoma people, born and raised in Oklahoma, and you see your star player go down (and) feel like it’s part of the family, especially if you’re a ball boy."

“No harm taken from him. If I see him the next game, I’ll dap him up. I don’t hold grudges at all,” Beverley added.