Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been suspended for three games without pay after a locker room altercation with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes. The incident unfolded on Saturday, Nov. 2, following the 76ers’ 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the Wells Fargo Center.
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid faces suspension following post-game conflict with journalist
According to reports, Embiid confronted Hayes over his recent article, which referenced Embiid’s late brother, Arthur, in connection with questions about his commitment and professionalism. The NBA announced Embiid’s suspension on Tuesday, Nov. 5, describing it as a disciplinary measure for “a breach of professional conduct.”
“Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and media in the NBA,” said Joe Dumars, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations. “While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter’s column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical,” Dumars emphasized in his statement.
The conflict originated from a column Hayes published on Oct. 23, which was critical of Embiid’s recent games missed due to “left knee management.” Hayes’ article noted that Embiid, now 30, often mentions his family as a major motivation for his career.
However, the article included a mention of Embiid’s late brother Arthur, who passed away when Embiid first joined the 76ers. The mention, later removed from the article, prompted a strong reaction from Embiid and stirred heated online responses. “I rewrote the lede to my column and replaced the picture. I can see why so many people were upset about it,” Hayes explained on X, formerly Twitter.
Despite Hayes’ edit, Embiid reportedly felt that the reference to his brother overstepped boundaries, leading to the heated encounter post-game. According to NBA statements, Embiid’s suspension will cost him approximately $1,063,778 and will sideline him for upcoming games against the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Charlotte Hornets.
Following the suspension, Embiid is set to return on Nov. 12 against the New York Knicks.