76ers center Joel Embiid suspended for three games for pushing newspaper columnist

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was suspended for three games without pay by the NBA on Tuesday for pushing a media member.

Embiid’s suspension will begin in the next regular season game in which he is eligible to play. The 2023 NBA MVP has yet to play this season due to what the 76ers are calling left knee management.

The Sixers will open the road against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

Embiid yelled at and eventually pushed a newspaper columnist during a locker room argument Saturday night.

“Mutual respect is crucial in the relationship between players and the media in the NBA,” league executive Joe Dumars said in a statement announcing the suspension. “While we understand that Joel was uncomfortable with the personal nature of the reporter’s original version of his piece, interactions should remain professional on both sides and never become physical.”

Embiid took issue with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes’ mention of his late brother, the seven-time All-Star, and his son, both named Arthur, in columns questioning Embiid’s professionalism and his efforts to stay in shape after playing in the Paris Olympics.

As reporters entered the locker room to talk to the players after a 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the two-time NBA scoring champion stood up and confronted Hayes.

Embiid continued with various examples of profanity over the next few sentences. Hayes offered an apology that Embiid did not ask for. “This isn’t the first time,” Embiid said.

Embiid later said he didn’t care what reporters said. “But you do,” Hayes replied.

At this point, Embiid got louder and soon shoved Hayes on the shoulder as the team’s head of public relations stepped between them. Another public relations employee tried to exonerate reporters by moving Tyrese Maxey’s interview to the hallway outside the locker room.

Embiid was selected with the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, but missed his first two seasons due to injuries. Since his first season in 2016, he has played in 433 of a possible 805 regular season games and only 59 of a possible 67 playoff games.