The NBA recently handed out a three-game suspension to Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid for shoving Marcus Hayes, a columnist from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The incident arose on November 2nd in a post game interview at Embiid’s locker following a 76ers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. What began as an intense verbal exchange between Embiid and Hayes turned physical when Embiid could no longer contain his anger and pushed the journalist.
According to reporter Kyle Neubeck, Embiid was visibly frustrated once he realized Hayes was present and sought to call out the columnist immediately. “You want to talk to me like a man and talk to me about basketball, that’s different, but if you ever talk about my family again, we’re gonna have real problems,” said Neubeck as he paraphrased Embiid’s heated words.
Embiid was seemingly responding to a recent article written by Hayes for the Philadelphia Inquirer about Embiid’s injury history and his inability to consistently stay on the court for the 76ers.
Hayes’ column led by discussing how Embiid wanted to leave a legacy for his son, while mentioning his son was named after Embiid’s younger brother who tragically passed away in 2014 in a car accident. Hayes then openly criticized Embiid’s legacy following the contextualization of his family.
“Well, in order to be great at your job, you first have to show up for work. Embiid has been great at just the opposite,” wrote Hayes. This portion of his column has since been deleted and Hayes reportedly apologized shortly after it was published.
As a result, the NBA seemingly failed to protect and support one of its biggest stars by issuing a suspension.
Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the NBA, announced the decision to suspend Embiid on November 5th. “While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter’s column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical,” said Dumars.
Did Embiid go too far in getting physical with the media member? Probably. Does it make sense as to why Embiid was provoked to escalate the situation? Absolutely.
Hayes clearly went out of his way to attack Embiid’s character and family in an article that was intended to be about basketball. It’s shameful that both Hayes himself and the editors at the Philadelphia Inquirer thought this was suitable to be published at all, much less for a column in a sports section. What’s worse is that Embiid is the only person who received punishment when it’s clear that the columnist took things just as far.
This is an unfortunate consequence of today’s media landscape. The personal lives of famous athletes and celebrities are so accessible that writers can use them as tools to attract more readers. As can be easily seen on just about any social platform, drama and controversy is a key selling point for any kind of product.
What’s often forgotten is that athletes are people, too, who experience the same emotions as everyone else in the world. Hayes wanted to write an article that was critical of the NBA player’s health, but additionally sought to scrutinize Embiid as a father as well. He crossed a very delicate boundary, and Embiid took action to defend himself and his family.
Following the column’s release to the public, there was no need for Hayes to be allowed to interview Embiid in person. Even if the inappropriate portion was deleted online, words and sentiments tend to be everlasting. Hayes clearly wanted to attack Embiid beyond the basketball court and stir up more drama. Whether it be mandated by the Philadelphia Inquirer or the NBA, Hayes should not have been allowed inside the 76ers’ locker room.
With the suspension, the NBA has now made Hayes the victim and Embiid the villain, when in reality, it looks to be the opposite.
It is a profound oversight on the NBA’s part to neglect the players who are the driving force behind the league’s profitability. By giving grace to malicious journalists, the league is ultimately devaluing the well-being of its players, which is incredibly disheartening and inhumane.
This article appeared in print on Page 10 of Vol. LVIII Issue VII, published Nov. 18, 2024.