Joel Embiid Allegedly Shoves Reporter During Locker Room Altercation, Incident Being Investigated by NBA

Embiid reportedly took issue with a columnist mentioning his late brother in a recent article

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was allegedly involved in a locker room altercation with a reporter that became physical, according to multiple outlets.

Embiid, 30, reportedly took issue with a recent article written by Chris Hayes for the Philadelphia Inquirer, in which the columnist questioned Embiid's commitment to the team while mentioning his late younger brother, Arthur, whom the athlete's young son is named after.

Embiid's brother was just 13 when he died in a car crash in 2014.

According to ESPN, Embiid confronted Hayes as reporters entered the Sixers locker room after Philadelphia's 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, Nov. 2, saying, “The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to ... live with the consequences."

Related: All About Joel Embiid’s Son Arthur

Embiid reportedly shoved Hayes' shoulder, forcing a Sixers' public relations employee to intervene, per ESPN.

According to The Athletic, a team source said that Hayes did not physically respond to the physical contact from Embiid.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Following the interaction, a security guard reportedly asked media who witnessed the incident not to report on Embiid shoving Hayes. However, according to ESPN, Embiid shouted, "They can do whatever they want," and added, I don't give a s---."

PEOPLE has reached out to the Philadelphia 76ers for comment.

The NBA has since confirmed in statements to The Athletic and ESPN that they are investigating the interaction. “We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation," the league said.

Related: Who Is Joel Embiid's Wife? All About Anne de Paula

The excerpt from Hayes' initial article that upset Embiid on Saturday, and has since been edited, read, “Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major inflection point in his basketball career. He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an automobile accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er."

Embiid shares his son Arthur, born in September 2020, with model Anne de Paula.

“I want [Arthur] to see me at my best, just like I saw my dad,” Joel shared in an ESPN interview in 2021. “I want him to see his dad as the best player in the world.”