TMZ Sports reports that Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal is being investigated for battery following an altercation with fans after his team’s game against the Orlando Magic last week. The incident allegedly occurred around 24 hours after the loss when Beal and the fans were jawing back and forth as he walked down a tunnel to the team’s locker room at Amway Center. The confrontation lasted about 50 seconds, according to the report.
Beal is a three-time All-Star who has averaged 23.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds this season while playing a career-high 50.6% of his shots from the floor. He signed a five-year, $251 million max contract with the Wizards in July 2022 and has already made a strong case for himself to be an All-Star this year.
Sports Betting Has Become Insanely Popular
Over the past five years, legal sports betting has spread throughout the United States. Thirty-three states have launched betting markets since 2018, when the United States Supreme Court overturned a federal law that had limited regulated sports betting to Nevada.
The incident that took place last week highlights a potential problem the NBA faces due to sports betting. Calls for the NBA to enter rebuilding mode almost universally carry negative connotations, as teams often go through full-fledged roster teardowns followed by multiple years of relative crumminess.
