It’s easy to condemn high-profile athletes when they target members of the press for doing their jobs, or when they act churlishly with fans. With that said, I think Joel Embiid and Jason Kelce were in the right during two profanity-laced altercations this weekend.
Let’s start with Embiid. The 76ers center allegedly shoved Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes Saturday night after a 124–107 loss to the Grizzlies.
Embiid was seething about Hayes’s Oct. 23 column questioning his professionalism and physical conditioning. What set the 30-year-old superstar off, though, was that Hayes cited Embiid’s son and late brother, both named Arthur, in his piece.
Big mistake. When Hayes entered the locker room after the game a week later, Embiid confronted him. According to ESPN, he said, “The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to … live with the consequences,” Embiid warned. Hayes tried to apologize—but the NBA star wouldn’t hear it. “That’s not the fucking first time,” Embiid said.
As things escalated, Embiid’s “open hand made contact with Hayes’ neck and collarbone area,” according to the Inquirer. When 76ers security asked other reporters not to report on the incident, Embiid would have none of it. “They can do whatever they want,” he declared. “I don’t give a shit.”
Hayes had previously edited out the portion of his lede that set Embiid off. But here was the offending passage according to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice: “Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major inflection point in his basketball career. … He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an automobile accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er. 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.”
Embiid and other athletes should never lay their hands on the press—or anybody, for that matter. They have zero to gain, and everything to lose. Embiid deserves a suspension and fine the NBA is very likely to hand down. But it was Hayes who crossed the line more in my book. Do you want to rip Embiid in a column? Go for it. But do not bring up his family—especially his beloved son and dead little brother—to make your case.
As you would expect, the Inquirer is taking the incident seriously. Yes, Hayes has been critical of the 76ers. But that’s what columnists are supposed to do—as long as they do it fairly. “Marcus is an experienced and accomplished columnist who offers sharp and illuminating commentary grounded in his observations. You are free to disagree with what he says, but a physical assault is unwarranted and untenable and we are taking this matter very seriously,” said Inquirer editor Gabriel Escobar in a statement.
The NBA said in a statement: “We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room and are commencing an investigation.” The 76ers declined to comment. But a source with direct knowledge said the team is fully cooperating with the investigation.
As Zach Harper of The Athletic said on SiriusXM NBA Radio, what Hayes wrote was “inappropriate.” But Embiid also went beyond the pale when he laid hands on the columnist.
“Is it possible that everybody is wrong in this scenario?” asked Harper. (Answer? You betcha.)
Kelce Confrontation
Meanwhile, I had no problem with Kelce smashing the cellphone of the punk fan who called his brother, Travis, a “f****t” for dating Taylor Swift.
Yes, Jason Kelce lost his cool outside Beaver Stadium after the Ohio State–Penn State game. Yes, the retired Eagles center should not have gotten violent. And I’m sure ESPN’s PR team became queasy over video of Kelce repeating the same anti-gay slur when he demanded, “Who’s the f****t now?” But this is a situation where a heckler deliberately insulted Kelce’s brother to get a reaction on camera. Well, you got what you wanted, Tiger. How does it taste?
Kelce was one of ESPN’s biggest new hires this year. The likely future Hall of Famer opened Monday Night Countdown with an explanation, pledging to be better in the future. Translation: There will be no fine or suspension from his bosses at ESPN.
“Listen, I’m not happy with anything that took place. I’m not proud of it. In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate and I just don’t think that’s a productive thing. I really don’t.”
As fantasy analyst Matthew Berry tweeted: “My reaction is the stupid kid is lucky it was only his phone that got smashed. Don’t blame Jason Kelce one bit.”
I feel the same way.
