Joel Embiid allegedly pushed Philadelphia Inquirer reporter who raised late brother

Joel Embiid allegedly got into a physical altercation with Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Marcus Hayes following the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Embiid was upset with Hayes and an argument ensued that eventually turned physical. The NBA is reportedly investigating the incident.

Hayes published a column for the Enquirer criticizing Embiid’s work ethic while mentioning his son and late brother. “Joel Embiid has always pointed to the birth of his son Arthur as a major turning point in his basketball career. He often said he wanted to be great and leave a legacy for the boy named after his younger brother, who His younger brother sadly passed away in 2017. Quite the opposite.

Prior to the incident, Embiid fired back at critics of his work ethic and specifically targeted Hayes. “When I see people saying, ‘He doesn’t want to play,’ I’ve done too much for this city to put myself at risk of people saying that,” Embiid said Friday. “I do think it’s Bulls***. Like that guy, he’s not here, Marcus, I’ve done too much for this damn city to deserve to be treated like this I wish I had. Just to be as lucky as anyone else, that doesn’t mean I won’t do whatever it takes to get there, and I will.

Footage of the incident has yet to surface, but check out Charania’s report below. With this loss, the 76ers dropped to 1 win and 4 losses this season. Stay tuned for further updates on Joel Embiid on HotNewHipHop.