The NBA has announced a $50,000 fine for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for making what was deemed an obscene gesture during the October 31 home game against the Boston Celtics.

According to the league statement, the incident occurred with 7 minutes and 8 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Embiid drew a foul from Celtics forward Josh Minott during an offensive play and, after the ball went in, made a groin-swinging motion similar to the "DX Chop" (commonly known as the crotch gesture).

However, the referee did not call a foul, seemingly failing to see the action. Embiid then made the free throw, completing a three-point play. In that game, the 76ers narrowly lost to the Celtics 108-109. Embiid played 25 minutes, scoring 20 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, marking his third consecutive game with 20 or more points.

Following the announcement of the fine, Embiid expressed his dissatisfaction on social media, sarcastically suggesting that the league should also fine the referees, and posted a video of what appeared to be a referee making a similar gesture, sparking heated discussion among fans. The NBA, in a press release, emphasized that the gesture violated league etiquette standards and had to be punished due to its indecent nature.

This season, Embiid is recovering from knee surgery, and the team has implemented a rest system to protect his health. He has already missed the games against the Orlando Magic on October 27 and the Brooklyn Nets on November 3.

Although Embiid's performance at the start of the season has been decent, his scoring has not yet reached MVP level. According to NBA.com data, the 76ers have a net negative of 7.3 points when Embiid plays, but a net positive of 9.2 points when he rests.