76ers Joel Embiid Involved in Physical Altercation with Media Member: Report

• Updated Nov 2, 2024 at 11:27pm

The start of the 2024-25 season has been a tumultuous one for Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid, and it just got a whole lot worse.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Embiid initiated a physical altercation with a reporter in the home locker room following a 17-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, November 2.

“76ers’ Joel Embiid got in an altercation with a columnist following tonight’s game in Philadelphia,” Charania posted to his X account. “Embiid took issue with a recent column that referenced his late brother and son, and Embiid shoved the columnist. No punch.”

The identity of the columnist in question was not immediately clear. It is also unclear if the NBA will hand down a punishment to Embiid, though initiating physical violence against a media member in the locker room is likely to carry with it some form of punitive consequence — either from the 76ers organization, the league or both.

Embiid did not play in the game against the Grizzlies Saturday and has missed the first five contests of this regular season with a knee injury. The 76ers are 1-4 over that stretch.

The author will update this post.