Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid was hit with a $50,000 fine from the NBA on Sunday for what the league described as a “lewd gesture” during the 76ers matchup against the Celtics on Friday night.
The lewdness occurred in the first quarter of the contest, with Embiid making a basket and drawing a foul against the Celtics. In celebration, Embiid delivered a crotch chop—a move made popular by WWE tag team D-Generation X in the late 1990s.
It’s not hard to see why the league determined the celebration to be lewd.
The NBA has fined Joel Embiid $50,000 for making a “lewd gesture” on the court.pic.twitter.com/QGautzY8uy
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 2, 2025
But Embiid responded to the fine with a challenge. If this celebration was so “lewd,” then why was it so strikingly similar than the signal referees make when calling a blocking foul?
Yall better start fining the refs for doing the “Lewd”, “blocking foul” gesture since I’m not allowed to do it #NFL https://t.co/WCkaPCOl9I
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 2, 2025
Indeed, there are similarities between Embiid’s crotch chop and the signal for a blocking foul, especially when an official decides to call it with an extra bit of sauce, but it’s still pretty clear what Embiid is actually doing.
Embiid has made the crotch chop a pretty regular piece of his celebratory repertoire, so much so that D-Generation X member Triple H has helped introduce Embiid and the Sixers in the postseason in years past.
But if Embiid wants to keep crotch chopping on opponents this year, it looks like it’s going to cost him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joel Embiid Blasts NBA After Being Fined $50K for ‘Lewd Gesture’.
