Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been suspended for three games after shoving a columnist.
Following the 76ers defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 2, Embiid was seen yelling at Hayes following a column he had written the day before. The column highlighted Embiid’s resistance towards playing in back to back games as well as his overall conditioning. It also included information about Embiid’s son and late brother, both who are named Arthur, to criticize Embiid’s work ethic.
After Embiid expressed his anger towards the column the day before, Hayes deleted the references to Embiid’s son and brother. After the game, Embiid refused Hayes apologies and shoved him, following with threats directed at Hayes if he wrote another article about Embiid’s family.
Following the incident, the NBA announced that Embiid’s actions were being investigated. After completing the investigation, the league decided on Nov. 5 that Embiid would receive a three game suspension. This prolongs Embiid’s long-awaited return to the court which is now expected to be on Nov. 12 against the New York Knicks in the first group game of the NBA Cup.
Embiid’s suspension raises a larger question as to what forms of criticism are valid and which ones are considered out of line. While Hayes may have been right in evaluating Embiid’s lengthy recovery from a knee injury, he should not have used Embiid’s family as a way to strengthen his argument. Athletes are also human beings and should not be susceptible to information about their personal lives being published online when it is not acceptable to do so.
The 76ers have not had an ideal start to the season. As of writing, the team sits last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 1-7. Other key members of the team such as forward Paul George and guard Tyrese Maxey have also missed time which has only added to the team’s on court struggles.
76ers center Joel Embiid suspended three games for shoving reporter
