Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid lost control Saturday night when he shoved a reporter assigned to cover the club and the NBA decided to impose a suspension on him.
The 30-year-old will reflect on his actions during the next three matches which he watches from the press box.
• Also read: NBA: Joel Embiid physically attacked a journalist after the 76ers defeat
Embiid got out of control following a remark from Marcus Hayes, Philadelphia Inquirerwho was allegedly pushed and warned by the Cameroonian in the 76ers locker room.
In recent days, Hayes referenced in a post the deaths of Embiid’s little brother, who died in a car accident in 2014, as well as his son.
“The next time you talk about my brother and my son, you’re going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to… live with the consequences,” he told Hayes.
An NBA investigation was opened following the incident.
“Mutual respect is paramount in relationships between players and members of the media in the NBA. While we understand that Joel may have been offended by the personal nature of the journalist’s original version of the column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never become physical,” the vice president wrote in a statement. of league basketball operations, Joe Dumars.
The suspension of Embiid, who did not play this season and was limited to 39 games in 2023-24, will begin when he is ready to play. Embiid, a member of the 76ers, was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2023.
