Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been fined $25,000 for making an obscene gesture during a game and using profane language during a live television interview, the NBA announced Wednesday.
Embiid’s hand gesture occurred with 17 seconds left in Monday’s 129-112 win over the Atlanta Hawks. With time winding down, Atlanta’s Kevin Huerter came from behind Embiid and stole the ball, prompting Embiid’s to flash a middle finger at Huerter. Embiid, who scored a career-high 49 points, later apologized for the gesture.
After the game, Embiid made the profane remark while discussing his comment from last week that he was the best player in the world, relating it to his All-Star Game appearance.
“Being with some of the best players in the world [at the All-Star Game], I proved myself, that’s what I said. But yeah, f— it — my bad — I do believe it,” Embiid said in his postgame interview.
The NBA said Embiid’s fine was based on prior multiple violations of “acceptable on-court decorum.”