Joel Embiid: NBA ace fined over shock ‘referees f****** sucked’ rant at 76ers vs Celtics
NBA star Joel Embiid has been slapped with a mage fine after slamming referees in the wake of Philadelphia 76ers’ recent defeat.
NBA: Joel Embiid SLAMS referee after Celtics loss
The Sixers went down 112-109 to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Embiid seemed particularly frustrated by the referees in the final minute of the game, when he was up against Boston’s Al Horford.
The 24-year-old was not happy that a call against Horford was not given.
As reported by Express Sport on Wednesday, Embiid left his post-match press conference saying “These referees f****** sucked”.
These referees f****** sucked
And now he has been handed a mega fine for the outburst.
It is understood Embiid has been fined $25,000 (£19,400) for the remark.
He had scored 23 points for the Sixers during their clash and was back on court a day later when they beat the New York Knicks 126-111.
Discussing Horford, Embiid said: “He's not doing anything.
“He's just on me. I was sleepwalking for three quarters and that's on me.
“That's on me. That has nothing to do with anybody.”
Embiid is not the only player to have recently been fined for criticising NBA officials.
In January both Detroit Pistons’ Blake Griffin and JR Smith of Cleveland Cavaliers were slapped with $15,000 (£11,600) fines for ‘verbal abuse of officials’.
The Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert was also fined the same amount for a similar incident in December.
Meanwhile, NBA expert Chris Broussard reckons Embiid - and team-mate Ben Simmons - have the potential to become the next NBA superstars.
"I've said Embiid and Simmons could be the next Shaq-Penny,” he told FS1.
“But there is absolutely, positively, no way the Philadelphia 76ers, this year, can beat the Boston Celtics in a playoff series.
“If Kyrie plays, Philly loses. If Kyrie sits, Philly loses.”