Report: Joel Embiid gets in confrontation with reporter over recent column

Report: Joel Embiid gets in confrontation with reporter over recent column

Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid got into a confrontation with a columnist over a recent column citing Embiid’s late brother and son, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania was among the first to report Saturday evening.

76ers’ Joel Embiid got in an altercation with a columnist following tonight’s game in Philadelphia. Embiid took issue with a recent column that referenced his late brother and son, and Embiid shoved the columnist. No punch.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 3, 2024

This came shortly after Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweeted that Embiid “assaulted a reporter” in the locker room, originally citing it was a punch. However, he later clarified that it was a shove and not a punch, likely suggesting Pompey had heard this from a third party and hadn’t seen the incident himself.

Oh, boy, people will remember the Sixers season for all the wrong reasons. The team just dropped to 1-4 and Joel Embiid assaulted a reporter in the locker room.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 3, 2024

Keith Pompey is reporting that Joel Embiid punched a reporter in the locker room after the game pic.twitter.com/xuRVRLso7g

— Patrick (@PhillyPMC) November 3, 2024

The reporter was “shoved” by Embiid.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 3, 2024

Regardless, the columnist involved was allegedly Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Here was an excerpt from Hayes in a recent column about Embiid’s family.

This is one of the worst (and most unnecessary) things I've ever read about a basketball player.

There was no reason to attack Embiid about a death in his family. pic.twitter.com/OyKTAllj1z

— Swipa (@SwipaCam) November 3, 2024

Joel Embiid isn’t happy with backlash about not wanting to play

According to NBC Philadelphia, Embiid confronted Hayes, stating this:

“The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to … live with the consequences.”

The biggest question I have is: Where are the editors? Who let this through? Bringing family into the question should never be acceptable, let alone use it to justify slamming a player for not “showing up for work.”

The league should take serious action into this because if players get off lightly for shoving reporters, it could have serious ramifications. That said, what Embiid did was justified; one of the most important things about being a journalist is being held accountable for anything and everything one publishes. It’s the same for anyone in any profession–accountability is important. Embiid checked him at the line; you can criticize his game, but not his family, especially dead relatives or kids. Let’s hope lessons were learned here.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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