Ex-Spartan Paul Davis apologizes for ejection at Michigan State game: 'It was a mistake'

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Monday night’s outburst shouldn’t have happened, former Michigan State star Paul Davis says, but Tuesday afternoon’s press conference had to.

Late in the second half of Michigan State’s 80-51 win over Southern Cal on Monday, Davis was removed from his lower bowl seat at Breslin Center for something he shouted at referee Jeffrey Anderson.

A former Spartan star in his college career from 2002 to 2006, Davis was drinking alcohol when he was removed from his seat and said something that crossed a line, embarrassed himself and the program he once played for, and made national headlines.

So Tuesday, after giving an apology to players at the end of practice, Davis stepped to a podium to address his transgression. He apologized to players, coaches, parents and the USC team that visited Breslin Center that night for his conduct.

“I'm not up here to make any excuses,” the 41-year-old Rochester native said. “I'm up here to take accountability, to own it.”

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who is in his 31st season and just notched his 750th career win Monday night, also addressed Davis’ comments during his postgame press conference Monday, saying that he planned to call Davis and address the issue the next day.

Davis beat him to it. At the early hour of 6:30 a.m., he gave his coach a ring. He wanted to address the issue head-on.

“The Block S, that's not what it represents,” Davis said. “It's not why I came here. That’s not why I wear it proudly. It was a mistake. It was a mistake that will never happen again. It was a mistake that’s not me, but again, unfortunately last night, it was.”

What were those comments? Neither Davis or Izzo gave specific words, but Izzo did say Monday that Davis said something he “should never say anywhere in the world.” It wasn’t racial or sexual, he clarified. Davis said he also called Anderson for a “short” but “amazing” conversation.

“Next time we’re at a game together, I mean, we said we're gonna have a big hug,” Davis said. “It'll be the first time I ever hug a ref.”

“Me too,” Izzo interjected.

Davis played center and power forward for the Spartans from 2002 to 2006, scoring 1,718 career points and collecting 910 rebounds. He was a second-round NBA draft pick in 2006 and went on to a pro career that included 82 NBA games over four years and various European and minor league stops until 2014-15.

Its that experience, and a desire to mentor some of the current Spartans, that brings Davis back to Breslin Center often, a common homecoming for alumni including Derrick Nix, who brought Davis to his suite to finish out Monday night's game.

Since his basketball retirement, Davis has worked in the finance sector, including a stint at Acrisure since August 2025. Acrisure is the company of Greg Williams who, alongside his wife, Dawn, made a $401 million commitment to Michigan State University, with $390 earmarked for MSU athletics. Williams himself was at Monday's game, in a seat behind the Spartans' bench.

Davis also works out Michigan State players over the summer and offers mentorship, especially to the bigs like Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. They all text regularly, and they shared a few messages after Davis’ post-practice apology.

“As a former big guy, I know what a senior year means,” Davis said. “And I know how hard those guys have worked. I was able to come into this program with (Aloysius) Anagonye, Adam Ballinger, Adam Wolfe — guys that have been on championship teams. That's where I learned from.

"And unfortunately they came in, they didn't have those senior leaders. And so I wanted to make sure that, you know, the last time they take this jersey off, there's not going to be any regrets.”

Sometimes, setting that example takes a tough decision, like Davis’ appearance at the podium Tuesday night. Michigan State could’ve let the story die off on the internet or address it with a statement. Instead, Davis went to the podium to address it — and, to the hopes of Izzo, put it all behind the program.

“It might be hard to talk to the media about something like this,” Izzo said. “To me, it's harder to talk to a player about something you know you didn't do well, and ‘this is what you should do better than I did.’ And he's done that many times.”

If there’s a positive to take from all this, Davis and Izzo hope it’s the example he set of being accountable to his mistakes. Instead of hiding, he addressed it head on, an example for any fans young and old. That message resonated with the players.

“I think that just shows the type of culture that we have here,” freshman forward Cam Ward said. “I mean, nobody's perfect, but the fact that he could build up his own confidence to come in here and speak to the media, speak to (Izzo), speak to just the people that matter here, and kind of just apologize and be a man about it was pretty impressive.”

“He made a mistake,” point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. said. “That happens in life, but it doesn't define him and whatnot. And, you know, we’re kind of with him and understand that life happens. Stuff happens. And, you know, kind of trying to move forward.”

Part of moving on is for Davis to continue to be around. Izzo is making sure he’s at Thursday night’s game against Northwestern (6:30 p.m.) to watch the Spartans continue a three-game homestand.

“We are a family,” Izzo said. “... Everybody preaches the family atmosphere. We walk the talk. We walk the talk as good or better now. We walk the talk better than any institution I know.

“And if this situation doesn’t prove some of that — that we're all reaching out to help him. If we didn't show it last night with our alumni from back when he played, coming from all over the country. We do hold each other accountable, but we will always support one another.”