NBA Issues Statement on Joel Embiid’s Altercation With Reporter BY J.R.

NBA Issues Statement on Joel Embiid’s Altercation With Reporter BY J.R.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is in hot water following an altercation with a columnist in the locker room following the team’s 124-107 loss on Saturday. Embiid did not play in the game but allegedly shoved Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who recently wrote a critical column mentioning Embiid’s late brother and son. “Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major inflection point in his basketball career,” Hayes wrote in a recent column. “He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an automobile accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er. “Well, in order to be great at your job, you first have to show up for work.

Embiid has been great at just the opposite. Now in his 11th season, he consistently has been in poor condition. This poor conditioning apparently seems to have delayed his debut this season.” That didn’t sit well with Embiid, who decided to address the situation directly in the locker room. “76ers’ Joel Embiid got in an altercation with a columnist following tonight’s game in Philadelphia,” Shams Charania wrote on X. “Embiid took issue with a recent column that referenced his late brother and son, and Embiid shoved the columnist. No punch.” Charania followed up the original report with a message from the NBA, which will be investigating the exchange. “We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation,” an NBA spokesman told Charania. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports provided more details on what went down from inside the locker room. “Obviously, we can’t repeat many of the words that were said on this show. The basic gist of it was basically, ‘You can say I suck, you can say whatever you want about me as a player. Don’t ever put my dead brother’s name in your mouth. Don’t talk about my family. Don’t bring them into this. You want to talk to me like a man and talk to me about basketball, that’s different. But if you ever talk about my family again, we’re gonna have real problems,'” Neubeck said. “They go kinda back-and-forth. And at some point, let’s say 90 seconds to two minutes into this back-and-forth, Joel shoves him. Team security steps in. Players kind of surround the situation and everyone kinda dispersed.” Embiid’s absence this season, stemming from a left knee issue, has sparked widespread criticism as Philadelphia grapples with a disappointing 1-4 start. Paul George, the Sixers’ newly acquired star, has also yet to play this season. Related: Philadelphia 76ers Reveal Plan to Keep Joel Embiid and Paul George Injury-free Copyright 2024 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published November 2, 2024, 11:55 PM. Take Us With You Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER APP VIEW NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIPTIONS Start a Subscription Customer Service Edition Triangle Now Vacation Hold Pay Your Bill LEARN MORE About Us Contact Us Newsletters Legal Notices Archives Sports Betting Personal Finance ADVERTISING McClatchy Advertising Place an Ad Place a Classified Ad Place an Ad – Celebrations Place an Obituary Staffing Solutions Political | Advocacy Advertising Part of the McClatchy Media Network COPYRIGHT COMMENTING POLICY REPORT NEWS COOKIE PREFERENCES PRIVACY POLICY YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES TERMS OF USE