Joel Embiid Suspended For 3 Games After Shoving Reporter

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Sixers superstar Joel Embiid has been suspended for three games without pay for shoving a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter who wrote a column in which he referenced Embiid's dead brother, the NBA announced Tuesday.

The altercation occurred in the Sixers locker room after their loss to Memphis on Saturday. Embiid did not play in the game due to injury.

The reporter, Marcus Hayes, went up to Embiid to talk to him, and the MVP expressed his frustrations with the story. The two exchanged words, which culminated in Embiid shoving Hayes once.

"While we understand Joel was affected by the personal nature of (the editorial), interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical," Joe Dumars, the NBA's head of basketball operations, said in the announcement.

Hayes' piece was met with shock and disgust by hundreds of Sixers fans who replied to the Inquirer's initial post of a link to the story on X.

The editorial alleged that Embiid, who has been battling knee injuries his entire career, should play more. Hayes mentioned how Embiid wanted to honor his younger brother, who died as a teen in a car crash, and his son, who is named after his brother.

"Well, in order to be great at your job, you first have to show up for work," Hayes wrote of Embiid.

Embiid has missed the beginning of the NBA season as he continues to rehab his knee, and the Sixers are 1-5 in that time.

Embiid will serve his suspension once he's cleared to play, CBS News reported.