# Sacramento Kings media day hot-mic incident

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sacramento-kings-media-day-hot-mic-incident
> Updated: 2026-10-02T22:50:36.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

During the Sacramento Kings media day, a live broadcast captured a “hot-mic moment” where reporters were heard discussing the physical appearance and personalities of NBA players Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine. The leaked audio included personal critiques, such as one reporter describing Simmons as “cringe” but noting he was “lucky he’s so fine,” and another remarking that LaVine was “hella fine” but that his personality “f–king annoys me.”

Following the viral spread of the clip, NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Tristi Rodriguez issued a statement on X to deny involvement. Rodriguez claimed she was wrongly identified by social media users, which resulted in “horrific messages” and reputational damage. She clarified, “To be very clear, that was not my voice at Kings Media Day,” and expressed her intention to continue her coverage of the NBA season.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: Tristi Rodriguez denies involvement in Kings media day hot-mic incident

Reporter Tristi Rodriguez has denied being one of the voices caught on a hot mic discussing NBA players during the Sacramento Kings' media day, following online harassment.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tristi-rodriguez-denies-involvement-in-kings-media-day-hot-mic-incident

### 2026-09-28: Sacramento Kings media day hot mic captures reporters discussing players

Reporters were caught on a hot mic during the Sacramento Kings' media day making candid and critical comments about the physical appearance and personalities of Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine.

15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sacramento-kings-media-day-marred-by-hot-mic-comments

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Cite as: Sacramento Kings media day hot-mic incident. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sacramento-kings-media-day-hot-mic-incident