The Philadelphia 76ers’ season already appears to be slipping into the tank, as they fell to 1-4 with a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, and even worse, Joel Embiid shoved a journalist in the locker room subsequently, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The league is aware and open an investigation in the incident, according to multiple reports.
The incident was described by the Associated Press as follows:
Embiid took issue with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, who mentioned the All-Star center’s late brother and his son — both named Arthur — in columns questioning the professionalism and efforts of Embiid, who did not were out of shape after playing at the Paris Olympics. Embiid has yet to play for the 76ers this season.
As reporters entered the locker room to talk to players, Embiid stood up and confronted Hayes.
“The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son, you’ll see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to… live with the consequences,” Embiid told Hayes.
Embiid continued, with several instances of profanity in the following sentences. Hayes apologized, which Embiid didn’t want. “It’s not the f—— first time.” » Embiid said.
Embiid later said he didn’t care what reporters said. “But it is,” Hayes replied.
Kyle Neubeck, a Philadelphia reporter who covers the Sixers for PHLY Sports, was present during the incident and provided a similar account of the events on the PHLY podcast.
“The bottom line is we have our press conference with (Sixers coach) Nick Nurse, we got to the locker room, Joel (Embiid) is sitting in there…Marcus Hayes – everyone knows he was on Joel’s radar this week – Marcus was in the locker room, and the second Joel realized he was there, (they) got into a verbal exchange,” Neubeck said.
“Obviously we can’t repeat a lot of the words that were said on that show,” Neubeck continued, “but the bottom line was (from Embiid to Hayes): ‘You can say I suck, you can say whatever you want.’ I want me as a player… don’t ever put my dead brother’s name in your mouth, don’t talk about my family, don’t involve them in this. You want to talk to me like a man and talk to me about basketball, It’s different. But if you ever talk about my family again, we’re going to have real problems.
“They go back and forth, and at some point, say 90 seconds to two minutes into this back and forth, Joel pushes (Marcus), team security steps in, the players sort of surround sort of the situation, and everyone kind of dispersed,” Neubeck concluded.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the push was on the reporter’s shoulder.
As noted above, Embiid wasn’t shy about expressing his frustration Friday with how he was portrayed by the media — in his eyes — as a guy who didn’t make being in shape a priority and who didn’t always show up for his sport. team, calling him “bulls…” while adding that he has done “way too much for this damn city” to be treated this way. He then cited the story written by Hayes, which actually mentioned Embiid’s deceased son and brother.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.