Joel Embiid, franchise player of the Philadelphia 76ers, lost his temper after the fall of his team (107-124) against the Memphis Grizzlies of Santi Aldama. The start of the season, eventful for the 76ers, and the ink of journalist Marcus Hayes, provoked the visceral reaction from Embiid.
After the match, already inside the locker room tunnel, the center attacked with a strong push Marcus, who had mentioned the center’s late brother and his son in columns that questioned Embiid’s professionalism. His physical condition too, out of shape after his participation in the Paris Olympic Games.
Tensions increased when journalists entered the press room for the round of questions. Embiid stood up and faced Hayes. “The next time you mention my dead brother and my son again, you will see what I will do to you and I will have to live with the consequences,” he told her.
Embiid continued, using several high-sounding words in the following sentences. Hayes issued an apology, which Embiid did not accept. “This is not the first time,” he stressed. Then the center emphasized that it didn’t care what journalists said. “You care,” Hayes replied. Shortly after, the NBA announced it was opening an investigation into what happened.
Kyle Neubeck, PHLY Sportsrecounted what he had witnessed. “The second Joël realized (the columnist) was there, a verbal exchange began. Obviously we can’t repeat a lot of the words that were said, but the gist was: “You can say I’m very bad, you can say whatever you want about me as a player.” But don’t ever put my dead brother’s name in your mouth,” he said.
“Don’t talk about my family (…). If you talk about my family, we’re going to have real problems. They continued the exchange and at one point, say after 90 seconds or two minutes, Joel pushed him. Team security intervenes, the players surround the situation and everyone disperses,” he describes.
The column that motivated the player’s anger was titled “Joel Embiid disrespects the Sixers, basketball, the greats and himself. “Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley are right to criticize him.” And in his text , the journalist directly mentions the son and late brother of the American center.
“Joel Embiid consistently highlights the birth of his son Arthur as the most important turning point in his basketball career. “He often says he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who died tragically in a car accident when Embiid was in his first year as a Sixers player,” indicates the chronicle.
“Well, to be great at your job, you first have to go to work. Embiid has been great for the opposite. Now in his eleventh season, he is still in poor condition,” the text continues. The column was modified after the altercation between Embiid and the journalist.
