The legend of Joel Embiid keeps adding new and interesting chapters. The latest one tells the story of the All-Star center paying an opponent’s fine after a double technical foul.
That’s right. The Philadelphia 76ers big man decided to pick up the tab for Pelicans forward Jose Alvarado following a verbal altercation on Tuesday night. The two exchanged NFSW words when Embiid inadvertently slammed into Garrett Temple. His shot had just been blocked by Willy Hernangomez. Alvarado didn’t take too kindly to Embiid hitting his teammate and let him know about it. Double technicals were doled out by the officials.
Alvarado, an undrafted guard playing on a two-way contract, will earn $462,629 this season. He teased Embiid (due $31.6 million) during the game that he couldn’t afford to pay the double technical fine. So, the 7-footer got in contact with him and took care of the $2,000 fine.
“I told him, I said, ‘Man, you know I can’t afford that tech.’ You know, why you want to give me that tech? But he was pretty cool,” Alvarado said, via Andrew Lopez. “He did a generous thing and actually went out of his way in getting in contact with me and he paid the fine for me. We talked through the game and it was all love and respect. It was in the heat of the moment, nothing personal, just trying to be two ballplayers going at it.”
FYI:
Embiid and Alvarado actually got into it later in the game during a jump-ball situation. Alvarado (6-foot, 179 pounds) walked away with a few new battle scars to show for it.
“I knew I wasn’t going to get it,” Alvarado said. “He’s a 7-footer, I was trying to do the small plays.”
#Pelicans practice report presented by @HUBInsurance (Jose Alvarado experienced unique first #NBA matchup with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who paid Alvarado’s fine from them both getting a technical foul; two starters returned to practice Thursday): t.co/ZKb4CU7K5D
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Embiid Explains Why He Paid Alvarado’s Fine
Part of the reason Embiid paid the fine was that he thought Alvarado was on a 10-day hardship contract. He’s not. Even so, the kind gesture won’t soon be forgotten by Alvarado or anyone else involved. Embiid’s national reputation continues to soar as he chases his first MVP award.
“I just felt like that’s the least I could do because I made him pick up the tech,” Embiid said, “and he obviously doesn’t make as much as a lot of guys in the league. I just felt like that was on me and I didn’t want him to lose that money because I’m sure we all need it.”
Joel Embiid on Jose Alvarado: “I just like his energy. He plays hard, he competes. Even when he picked up the tech, he wasn’t backing down.”
“I just felt like that’s the least I could do because I made him pick up the tech… I didn’t want him to lose that money.”
Embiid was extra complimentary about Alvarado’s hustle and grit as a competitor. He had 11 points in 33 minutes. Embiid finished with 42 points in 33 minutes.
“He plays hard, he competes, even when he picked up the tech, he wasn’t backing down,” Embiid said of Alvarado. “Two guys going at each other on the court, but he didn’t back down, and I respected him.”
Five Straight All-Star Appearances
Meanwhile, Embiid guided the Sixers to a 105-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. He scored 26 points which was his lowest output since notching 23 on December 23. To be fair, Embiid was taken out early with the game out of reach.
Prior to tip-off, he learned he would be making his fifth straight All-Star appearance and that’s something that he never takes for granted.
“Yeah, you know I could never take that for granted,” Embiid said. “You know five times in a row now. You know blessed, really to be in this position. You know there’s not a lot of guys that get to go through this. So anytime it happens you know I’m just blessed.”
Officially official: Joel Embiid has been named an All-Star starter for the fifth time.
(ofc)
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Sixers’ Joel Embiid Throws Money at Pelicans Player After Technical