Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid shoved a newspaper columnist during an altercation Saturday, according to multiple reports.
The altercation happened in the 76ers’ locker room after the team’s 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, according to multiple reporters who were in the locker room for a postgame media availability.
Embiid shoved Marcus Hayes, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. In a statement, Inquirer editor and senior vice president Gabriel Escobar said, “Marcus is an experienced and accomplished columnist who offers sharp and illuminating commentary grounded in his observations. You are free to disagree with what he says, but a physical assault is unwarranted and untenable and we are taking this matter very seriously.”
Hayes wrote a column before the start of the season that was critical of Embiid and the uncertainty around his playing status. Embiid has not yet played in a game this season due to a left knee injury. In his column, Hayes mentioned Embiid’s son and late brother as reasons for why Embiid should start playing.
In a news conference Friday, Embiid referenced the piece when expressing his displeasure with how he’s been treated while injured.
“When I see people saying, ‘He doesn’t want to play’ — I’ve done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk, for people to be saying that. I do think it’s bulls—,” Embiid said. “That dude, he’s not here, Marcus, I’ve done way too much for this f—— city to be treated like this.”
On Saturday, Embiid and Hayes were having an exchange in the locker room before Embiid’s shove, according to PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck, who was also in the locker room.
“We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation,” the NBA said in a statement Saturday night, according to The Washington Post’s Ben Golliver.
In a statement to ESPN, Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, said the team is aware of the incident. “We take the situation very seriously and are investigating, and have already spoken to the NBA,” Morey told the outlet.
Neither the NBA nor the Sixers immediately responded to a request for comment from NBC News late Saturday.
Embiid, 30, was drafted third overall by the 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft. He missed the first two seasons of his career due to injury.
Before the current season, Embiid said in an effort to help preserve his knees — which have both required surgery in the past — he would “probably never” play in back-to-back games again in his career.
On Tuesday, the NBA fined Philadelphia $100,000 for public comments “that were inconsistent” with Embiid’s health status.
