The NBA is looking into a heated incident that happened on Saturday night between Joel Embiid and a journalist.
Locker Room Clash
After the 76ers lost to the Grizzlies, things got tense in their locker room. The trouble started because of an article by Marcus Hayes from the Philadelphia Inquirer. This piece mentioned Embiid’s son and his late brother, which did not sit well with him. Earlier in the week, Embiid had already voiced his displeasure about the column during a press conference, but Saturday night gave him another chance to confront Hayes.
Eyewitnesses say thereโs no video of what went down, but reports are trickling out about it. Kyle Neubeck, a writer from Philadelphia, described how it all began with words before escalating to Embiid pushing Hayes.
Words That Hurt
โYou can say I suck,โ said Embiid according to Neubeck. โBut donโt ever put my dead brotherโs name in your mouth.โ These words reflect just how deeply personal this issue was for him.
โYou can say I suck, you can say whatever you want about me as a player. Donโt ever put my dead brotherโs name in your mouth,โ @KyleNeubeck describes Joel Embiid altercation with journalist
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_)
The Article’s Impact
This is what made Embiid so angry: Marcus Hayes’ column. It struck a nerve by bringing up family matters that should have stayed private.
Hereโs what Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes wrote, before his altercation with Joel Embiid tonight:
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_)
Lessons Learned
Embiid has been under fire this season due to plans for him to skip back-to-back games, leading even the NBA to investigate. But now he might face more consequencesโlike fines or suspensionโfor his actions during this altercation. The league wonโt take kindly to such behavior regardless of why it happened.
We think it’s important for everyone involved in sports reporting or commentary to remember one thing: keep families out of it! Criticizing someone’s game is fair play; dragging their loved ones into it crosses a line and becomes too personal.
