Every NBA fan is aware of how prevalent viral sports quotes are. They drive narratives, give birth to memes, and make everyone's experience of following their team just a little more fun. The moment a bold statement leaves any player's mouth these days, it is likely to be turned into a quote graphic in short order. For fans of the LA Clippers, one viral quote from the past is likely to be cringe-inducing.
Nearly everyone is aware of Patrick Beverley's infamous 2019 quote when speaking about Stephen Curry. According to countless social media reposts of the quote, Beverley told Curry that he and the Warriors had claimed the last five years, but the next five years would belong to he and the Clippers.
Of course, with how often this has been spread around the internet, everyone naturally assumes that is exactly what was said. But according to Pat himself, that is not how the words left his mouth. He went on his podcast this week to debunk the widely-believed myth.
The fake quote heard around the world! pic.twitter.com/J8GRdh8FlS
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) September 6, 2024
Pat Bev's infamous quote was never actually said
Beverley explained that there was certainly a new energy around LA in 2019 with the beginning of the "213" era, but his words had been altered slightly from the original quote. "Clippers, we just put the monster team together. As we thought, right? As we thought. Looking back on it, it was like, 'nah, you had your time, and now it's time to switch it up. It wasn't ever like five years, nah."
Pat goes on to explain that despite the fact he never uttered the part about the next five years belonging to the Clippers, he thought it was so good that he decided to run with it. It is truly fascinating that we all believed this to be the exact quote for years, but the real story was a bit different.
This just goes to show how perspectives can be shaped around misinformation in sports. For years, NBA fans mocked Pat Bev for having the audacity to say the next five years were his. In the end, it is rather amusing and completely fitting that Beverley allowed the world to run with the doctored quote simply because it lit some sort of competitive fire in him.