Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
By Brendon Kleen on

Despite a column so personal and critical of Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid that it led to a physical altercation in the locker room and a three-game suspension for the 2023 NBA MVP, the Philadelphia Inquirer will allow columnist Marcus Hayes to continue covering the team.

TMZ got word from the Inquirer that the newspaper would not make any changes to Hayes’ coverage.

“He is an Inquirer columnist who covers Philadelphia sports teams, including the Sixers,” Evan Benn, the Inquirer‘s senior director of special projects and communications, told TMZ.In an October column, Hayes invoked the legacy of Embiid’s late brother and young son to insinuate that Embiid wasn’t representing his family well with his lack of on-court production. Embiid has yet to make his season debut due to continued knee pain dating back years.As a result, Embiid called Hayes out by name over the column, telling other Philadelphia media that he has done too much for the city to be insulted by a columnist in that manner.

Days later, Embiid confronted Hayes in the 76ers locker room before ultimately shoving the columnist, forcing teammates and team security to intervene.

The NBA suspended Embiid for three games for the altercation.

Hayes has written three columns since the incident, each about the Eagles. With Embiid set to make his season debut next week against the New York Knicks following his suspension, the columnist’s coverage of the Sixers star and his team will be closely watched.

[TMZ]

About Brendon Kleen

Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.

View all posts by Brendon Kleen