The NBA fined Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid $50,000 for making a “lewd gesture” during the Sixers’ 109-108 loss to the Boston Celtics. After converting an and-one opportunity in the first quarter against the Celtics, Embiid hit the famous Degeneration X chop celebration that has been known to do over the years. In response, the league handed Embiid a hefty fine, though he’s no stranger to losing this kind of money from that exact celebration over the years.
In 2023, Embiid received two fines for the doing the same celebration, and from the looks of it he doesn’t appear to be retiring the move, despite the consistent fines from the league. Embiid loves playing the heel, so it’s not surprising that he uses a wrestling celebration as his go-to move when he converts a big play.
Embiid’s talked about his fandom of wrestling in the past, specifically his appreciation for Triple H and the entire DX team as a kid.
“There’s no secret that Triple H is my guy,” Embiid said in 2023. “Obviously, DX, when I used to watch wrestling, those were my guys. Any time I get the chance, I haven’t done it in a while so I just felt like it was a good and-1. I got the ball, I didn’t even see the rim, and I felt like it was deserving of a good celebration.”
The league may continue to fine Embiid for the gesture, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to stop him from still using it any time soon.
