Joel Embiid went on social media to call out the NBA. Embiid is known to be an animated figure in the league and isn’t afraid to share his emotions in-game. However, his behavior sometimes leads to disastrous situations for him, particularly with the league’s authorities.
Joel Embiid Fined $50,000 for Inappropriate Taunting Against the Boston Celtics
Embiid was fined $50,000 on Sunday for making a lewd gesture on the hardwood. The incident happened when the Philadelphia 76ers took on the Boston Celtics in a regular-season game.
During the first quarter of the game, with 7:08 minutes remaining on the clock, Embiid taunted after hitting an and-one opportunity. While taunting is a normal occurrence in the NBA, it was the type of taunt that the association didn’t appreciate. Embiid did the iconic crotch chop after getting fouled and sinking his mid-range shot.
Unfortunately for Embiid, the association deemed the crotch chop taunt a lewd gesture and slapped him with the fine. The 76ers star is furious and expressed his frustrations on social media.
After the NBA posted a statement regarding Embiid’s violation, the 76ers star reposted it on his X account and called out the association for being hypocritical.
“Y’all better start fining the refs for doing the ‘Lewd’, ‘blocking foul’ gesture since I’m not allowed to do it #NFL,” Embiid wrote on X.
Embiid pointed out how the league should also fine referees for making lewd gestures every game. The lewd gesture in question is when the referees signal for a blocking foul.
Whenever officials call for a blocking foul, the gesture they’d make resembles a hip thrust, which could be considered “lewd.” Embiid followed up his rant with a GIF featuring a referee doing a blocking foul gesture.
. @NBA pic.twitter.com/B9Vb2DFamH
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 2, 2025
Embiid is finally back and ready to be more readily available for his team. Last season, Embiid missed nearly the entire season, as he only played 19 games. This time around, he’s only missed a couple out of their six games.
Looking at the Philadelphia 76ers’ standing so far, they’re sitting on top of the Eastern Conference with a 5-1 record. While this could be due to the presence of Embiid, he isn’t necessarily carrying the team. The 76ers’ big man is arguably putting up his worst numbers so far in his career. Embiid is averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.
It’s worth noting that it’s the first time in Embiid’s career that he’s averaged less than 20 points a game. Leading the Sixers at the moment is Tyrese Maxey, who proved himself worthy of being the face of the franchise last season. This year, Maxey is averaging 35.2 points, 9.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
Regardless of the situation, the Sixers’ front office should be happy with the way their team has performed so far, especially after coming off a 13th-place finish last year.