Hot Mic Captures Reporters’ Comments at Kings Media Day

A live KCRA feed during Sacramento Kings media day carried reporters’ personal comments about players Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine, prompting former Kings center DeMarcus Cousins to recount what he described as an earlier uncomfortable experience with Sacramento media. The exchange, which circulated on social media, included remarks about Simmons’s appearance and perceived personality and comments describing LaVine as attractive while criticizing his personality. The conversation was broadcast during a break in media-day activities, according to accounts of the incident. The number and identities of the people heard in the recording have not been independently established in the supplied reporting. Cousins discussed the controversy on the program Gil’s Arena and connected it to his own dealings with Sacramento media. He alleged that former Sacramento Bee reporter Ailene Voisin once lifted his shirt to inspect his body and later wrote about it. Cousins said he felt uneasy at the time and was about 19 or 20. He also said he brought the incident to the Kings’ front office and was advised to ignore it.