Look, being a superstar in Philadelphia isn't for the faint of heart. You get booed when you're up, trashed when you're down, and dissected every single second you're not on the hardwood. But what happened between Joel Embiid and Marcus Hayes in that locker room? That wasn't just another "athlete vs. media" spat. It was raw. It was messy. And honestly, it was probably inevitable.
The joel embiid reporter video—or the lack of a clear one, despite the frantic searches—has become the stuff of legend for Sixers fans. People keep hunting for a grainy cell phone clip of the shove, but the real story is in the words that preceded it.
What Actually Went Down in That Locker Room?
It’s Saturday night, November 2, 2024. The 76ers just took a 124-107 beating from the Memphis Grizzlies. The locker room is heavy. Reporters shuffle in, pens ready, recorders out. They're mostly there to talk to Tyrese Maxey. But Joel Embiid is there too. He hasn't played a game yet this season, nursing that perennial "left knee management" issue.
He’s sitting there, and then he sees him. Marcus Hayes.
Hayes is a long-time columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s known for being sharp, critical, and sometimes—according to the players—out of pocket. This time, he’d written something that didn't just critique Embiid’s conditioning. It went for the jugular.
Embiid didn't wait for a question. He stood up. He’s 7-foot-tall, 280-plus pounds of pure frustration. He starts shouting. For about two minutes, he lets it rip. "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," Embiid barked. He wasn't whispering.
The Line That Crossed Everything
What was in that column? Basically, Hayes tried to link Embiid’s lack of availability to his legacy. He mentioned Embiid’s late brother, Arthur, who died in a tragic car accident in Cameroon back in 2014. He mentioned Embiid’s son, also named Arthur.
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The gist of the article was: You say you want to leave a legacy for your son and honor your brother, but you can’t even show up for work.
Talk about a low blow.
Embiid isn't just some guy who gets hurt a lot. He’s a guy who carries massive guilt over not being home when his brother died. He was in the U.S. rehabbing his foot. To have a reporter use that trauma as a "gotcha" for why he’s missing a game in November? Yeah, that’s going to cause a scene.
Hayes tried to apologize. Embiid wasn't having it. "That’s not the f---ing first time," he yelled. Then, it happened. Embiid shoved Hayes on the shoulder. It wasn't a punch. It wasn't a "strike" to the face like some early tweets claimed. It was a "get out of my space" shove that sent Hayes stumbling back a few steps.
The Fallout: Suspensions and "Mutual Respect"
The NBA moved fast. You can’t put your hands on the media. Period. Joe Dumars, the league’s Executive VP, put out a statement that sounded like a stern principal's lecture. He talked about "mutual respect" being paramount.
The result? A three-game suspension without pay.
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- The Fine: Since Embiid wasn't even active yet, the suspension didn't start until he was medically cleared.
- The Cost: We’re talking over $600,000 in lost wages for three games.
- The Reaction: Fans were split. Half the city wanted to build Embiid a statue for finally standing up to a media member they felt had been toxic for years. The other half was tired of the drama and just wanted their MVP to play basketball.
Honestly, the Sixers organization was in a weird spot. Daryl Morey and Elton Brand reportedly met with Hayes and called Embiid’s actions "unacceptable." But behind the scenes? Most players around the league were firmly on Team Joel. You don't talk about a man's kids or his deceased family. That’s "unwritten rule" number one.
Why You Can't Find the "Video"
Everyone keeps searching for the joel embiid reporter video, expecting a leaked security feed or a rogue TikTok. But remember: NBA locker rooms are strictly controlled. When the shove happened, Sixers PR and security were already moving. They actually told reporters not to report the incident—which is hilarious because Embiid told them, "I don't give a s---, report whatever you want."
The "video" most people see on YouTube or social media is just ESPN pundits like Shams Charania or Ramona Shelburne explaining what happened. There is no public footage of the actual contact.
The Trust Issues Run Deeper
The incident with Hayes was just the tip of the iceberg. A few weeks later, a team meeting leaked. Tyrese Maxey—the nicest guy in the league—apparently called out Embiid for being late to "everything."
When that hit the news, Embiid lost it again. Not physically, but he was done with the "circle of trust." He told reporters, "Whoever leaked that is a real piece of s---."
You can see the pattern, right? He feels like the world is closing in on him. He’s injured, the team is losing, the media is bringing up his dead relatives, and his own teammates (or coaches/staff) are leaking private locker room conversations to the press.
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Lessons From the Shove
So, what does this tell us about the state of the NBA in 2026?
First, the boundary between "tough journalism" and "personal attack" is thinner than ever. Marcus Hayes thought he was being "real." Joel Embiid thought he was being a "ghoul."
Second, the "player empowerment" era has moved into a "player protection" era. Guys aren't just taking the hits anymore. They have the platforms to fight back, though physical contact is still the "third rail" that gets you suspended every time.
Next Steps for Following This Story:
- Watch the Injury Reports: Embiid’s availability is always the spark for these fires. If he’s playing, the media is happy. If he’s not, the vultures start circling.
- Monitor the Inquirer: See if Hayes is still given the same locker room access. Usually, after an incident like this, there’s a cooling-off period where certain reporters are steered toward other beats.
- Listen to the Podcasts: Keep an eye on the PHLY Sixers or Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcasts. They usually get the local "vibe" better than the national guys who are just hunting for clicks.
At the end of the day, Joel Embiid is a human being who happens to be a basketball god. If you talk about his family, expect the human side to show up—shove and all.