NBA Makes Announcement on Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid has been fined after the Philadelphia 76ers' win over the Boston Celtics.

Dec 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Just as it seemed Joel Embiid avoided a fine this week, the NBA made a shocking announcement on Friday night regarding the Philadelphia 76ers center.

As it turns out, Embiid will be hit with a fine after all, just not for the reason many thought.

According to an official announcement, Embiid will be fined for making “obscene gestures on the playing court,” Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars explained. While there was no further description about the gesture in question, the press release notes that it took place during the first half of the Christmas Day matchup against the Boston Celtics.

Embiid will be hit with a $75,000 fine for his actions.

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/TaIkZWbfeO

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 28, 2024

Friday’s fine was certainly not Embiid’s first offense. Over the last couple of seasons, Embiid has been billed for “obscene gestures” on the court multiple times.

Typically, the star center finds himself in hot water with the league when he breaks out the “crotch chop” celebration, which is inspired by his favorite wrestling duo.

It’s been a busy week for Embiid, who recently returned from a sinus fracture injury. Despite being placed on a one-week injury recovery timeline, the star center was back in action after missing just one game. Since then, he appeared in two of the 76ers’ last three games.

During the Monday night matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Embiid was forced to leave the game after just 14 minutes of action. Following an offensive foul called on him, Embiid argued about the sequence. A heated exchange with a referee landed Embiid double-techs.

Fortunately for Embiid, there was no suspension or fine in play. He was able to return to the court to check in for 30 minutes against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. Despite landing a fine, Embiid helped the Sixers come away with a major victory, as he produced 27 points, nine rebounds, and two assists to help the Sixers improve to 11-17 on the year.