Tristi Rodriguez, a reporter for the Kings, addressed speculation regarding her involvement in a hot mic incident during the team's media day. In a statement posted on X, Rodriguez clarified that she was not one of the voices heard in the viral clip, which featured discussions about the attractiveness of players Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine.
Rodriguez stated, "The past few days have been tough. I got dragged into something that had nothing to do with me and I watched my name and reputation be tarnished across the internet. To be very clear—that was not my voice at Kings Media Day."
She expressed her desire to clear her name, stating, "I want to clear my name, not for the trolls who have flooded my mentions and DMs with horrific messages, but for myself. Thank you to those who know me and know my professionalism and immediately knew that wasn’t me. Your messages, support and love have gone a long way over these extremely dark days."
Rodriguez, who covers not only the Kings but also the 49ers and other professional sports teams in Northern California, concluded by expressing her enthusiasm for the upcoming NBA season and her commitment to her work.