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There was an incredibly awkward segment on NBA TV on Friday night when former basketball star Sam Mitchell was heckled by a fellow showmate who joked about his salary.
Mitchell was asked by tournament host Chris Miles about the fact that Warriors coach Steve Kerr did not receive a gold medal for coaching the U.S. men's Olympic team to glory last summer in Paris.
“I think it just tells you (in) the international game how much they value coaches – not at all,” Mitchell laughed.
Miles then joked about Mitchell – the former Raptors head coach – saying, “I'm surprised the coaches are getting paid for this program. Maybe you should do it pro bono, my friend.
It was clear that Miles had gotten emotional, as Mitchell claimed that his salary was actually “pretty close” to pro-bono, before accusing Miles of “bragging” about his money and threatening to reveal the address of his home.
Sam Mitchell became furious on NBA TV when host Chris Miles brought up the issue of his salary
Mitchell, seen around 1989, played 13 years in the NBA, primarily with the Timberwolves
“Excuse me, did you rent out your beach house in Florida during the hurricane?… What about your townhouse in Buckhead, (Georgia)?”
Miles reacted in disbelief, but Mitchell continued, accusing him of calling him names and “screaming that he was broke and hungry.”
“I know what you have and where you live, young boy, so you need to stop,” he continued.
Miles, still with a sheepish smile on his face, accused Mitchell of being a “snitch” before Mitchell claimed that he was, in fact, “telling the truth.”
“You need to stop messing with me on national television,” he added. '…Do I have to give my address? Because you're not home right now.
After nearly 90 seconds of the bizarre interaction, Miles finally got Mitchell to switch to another topic as they discussed the Blazers-Clippers preseason game in Seattle.
But they weren't quite ready yet. A few minutes later in another segment, Mitchell actually revealed Miles' address in Destin, Florida.
— Have you installed the pool yet? Mitchell asked.
Miles, who was seen at the NHL's Stanley Cup game in April 2023, is a live on-air host on NBA TV
After his initial remark, Mitchell insisted that Miles “stop messing with me on national television.”
Fans were, of course, surprised by the event, which spread on the Internet.
“Damn, that was personal!” – said one of them.
Don't joke about a man and his money. This is also probably (not) the first time,” added another.
“The young dude was asking for it,” added a third.
Mitchell played in the NBA for 13 years, mainly with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he retired in the 2001-02 season.
For his career, he averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest.
Mitchell, now 61, later served as an assistant coach with the Bucks, Nets, Timberwolves and Grizzlies, his last coaching stint during the 2018-19 season.
He was the head coach of the Raptors from 2004-2008 and also served as Minnesota's interim head coach from 2015-2016.
