The NBA is officially back in session and, while there have only been a few games played so far, superstars are already showboating in peak form. And Joel Embiid definitely fits that bill. The Philadelphia 76ers star center and reigning MVP had a particularly great showing at a recent home game and after making a challenging play, couldn't help but bust out a classic WWE move that called back to D-Generation X.
With basketball underway, Joel Embiid likely won't be at any upcoming WWE events. Thankfully, he's keeping his love of wrestling alive in other ways, as fans saw when the 76ers took on the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday. Check out the clip Rob Perez shared on X, which shows Embiid making a tough basket and then proceeding to perform the "suck it" gesture:
Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/sm0W3uvb0iOctober 30, 2023
This isn't the first instance in which the six-time all star has done this though and, given how that panned out last time, it's shocking that it happened again. During that time, the NBA was not a fan of the gesture being used as well as the fact that it went viral, thanks to wrestling fans who love D-Generation X. As a result, the organization hit the basketball player with a $25,000 fine back in January. There's no word on another fine will be handed out for this latest infraction, as of this writing.
For a megastar like Joel Embiid, such a charge isn't going to hurt his bank account, but I suppose there is still a principle involved. It possible, though that someone in the WWE could help mitigate the fines all in the name of getting the pro wrestling company more exposure within the NBA sphere. In fact, when Embiid first performed the gesture, Triple H saw the post and sent out the following post in which he offered to "chip in" for any future fines:
Curious, @JoelEmbiid…If you wrote a bigger check now, could you get a volume discount to cover the rest of the season??#IllChipIn #SuckIt https://t.co/fSNS0Csy2nJanuary 28, 2023
As a wrestling fan, I'd like to think this is just the basketball veteran offering to be the star performer for Survivor Series, considering Roman Reigns isn't scheduled for the event. Okay, that statement is mostly a joke, though I'd love for the baller to be added to the list of celebrities who've appeared at WrestleMania.
While Survivor Series may be a reach, the notion of Joel Embiid appearing at WrestleMania 40 feels like a real possibility, as the event will take place in Philadelphia in April. While that month is typically a busy time at which many NBA teams are preparing for the postseason, the center could possibly make a cameo on one of the two nights before getting back to work. At the very least, I'd love to see him recreate this iconic moment from a couple of years back when Triple H helped Embiid excite the crowd before the Eastern Conference semifinals:
Will Joel Embiid be the latest sports superstar to make a major appearance in professional wrestling? That remains to be seen. But for now, all we can say is that he's keeping the WWE vibes alive on the basketball court, even if a hefty fine could be on the way. Hopefully, he'll get cut a little slack -- and fans with Peacock Premium subscriptions will get to see him they tune in for WrestleMania 40 later this year.
The WWE is prepping for its Crown Jewel, which some superstars will miss, and it'll air on Peacock live from Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 3rd at 1:00 p.m. ET. And of course, check out the NBA schedule to see when your favorite team is hooping it up.
