The NBA is once again investigating a situation involving Joel Embiid after the Philadelphia 76ers star verbally confronted and then shoved a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist following the Sixers’ 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday night.
“We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation,” a league spokesman told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
In the locker room following the game, Embiid verbally confronted Marcus Hayes of the Inquirer because Hayes had referenced Embiid’s late brother, Arthur, in a column earlier this week. Embiid named his son Arthur after his brother, who passed in 2014.
“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,” Embiid said, according to Sixers beat writer Kyle Neubeck, who was in the locker room. “Don’t talk about my family, don’t bring them into this, you wanna talk to me like a man and talk to me about basketball, that’s different and if you ever talk about my family again, we’re going to have real problems.”
Neubeck said about 90 seconds to two minutes after Embiid verbally confronted Hayes, the former NBA MVP “shoved him” and “team security stepped in.”
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The situation with Hayes had been boiling over since earlier this week when Hayes wrote a column that called for fans to receive refunds when Embiid doesn’t play.
The former MVP has yet to play this season for the Sixers (1-4) due to “left knee injury management” and has been roundly criticized by former players and the press as a result.
Embiid has already missed 46% of his career regular-season games (373 of 806), per ESPN. Last season, he played just 39 games due to injury, with the Sixers going 31-8 during that span. Without him, they went 16-27.
“Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major inflection point in his career. He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who died in an automobile accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er,” Hayes wrote.
“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.”
Hayes continued, adding the “The degree of contempt Embiid has for his organization … is utterly flabbergasting”. He later added that it was a “dereliction of duty”.“
On Friday during a press conference, Embiid called Hayes out over the column.
“Like that dude, he’s not here, Marcus… I’ve done way too much for this f***ing city to be treated like this,” Embiid said.
After a team public relations staffer reportedly got in the middle of Embiid and Hayes on Saturday, a security staffer reportedly asked the press not to write about the incident.
“They can do whatever they want,” Embiid said. “I don’t give a s—.”
The NBA on Tuesday fined the franchise $100,000 for public statements around Embiid’s health status.
The NBA’s found that Embiid — who last month agreed to a three-year, $192.9 million extension — hasn’t been able to play yet due to a “left knee condition.” Head coach Nick Nurse and 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey were fined $100,000 for public statements that were “inconsistent” with the league’s findings on Embiid’s status.
The Sixers next play in Phoenix Monday night.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
