Joel has not played yet this season due to a knee injury.
Center Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid received a three-game suspension for aggressive behavior towards a Philadelphia Inquirer journalist Marcus Hayes.
A few days ago, a 30-year-old American of Cameroonian origin entered into a confrontation with the said media representative, offended by the latter’s column in which the journalist mentioned his son and late brother Joel, and also questioned the professionalism of the basketball player.
Commenting on the disqualification, NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said:
“Mutual respect is paramount in player-media relations in the NBA. We understand that Joel was offended by the personal nature of the reporter’s original column, but interactions must remain professional on both sides and should never become physical.”
It is reported that Hayes’ comments that offended Embiid were eventually removed from the column, and the columnist himself apologized to the basketball player, but they were rejected.
Disqualification is effective immediately and does not imply continued pay during this period. Embiid will not be able to participate in games against two teams from Los Angeles – the Clippers and Lakers – as well as against the Charlotte Hornets. All three matches will take place before the end of this week.
It is estimated that during the forced downtime, Joel will lose more than one million dollars. Last summer, the American, with a total earnings of $57 million, took 9th place in the list of the highest paid athletes at the 2024 Olympics. In Paris, Embiid won Olympic gold as a member of the US team.
Embiid has played for Philadelphia throughout his professional career, since 2014. Last year, he was named MVP for the 2022-23 season.
Joel has not yet played in the current championship due to the consequences of a knee injury. The Sixers, without their leader, started the season unsuccessfully: only one victory (over Indiana in overtime) with five defeats and intermediate penultimate place in the Eastern Conference.
Source: Sportarena
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