Cheeky wrestling crossovers into mainstream sports are often amusing, but not everyone finds it funny.
The National Basketball Association dropped the hammer on Joel Embiid after doing the D-Generation X crotch chop during a game. The Philadelphia 76ers’ star was fined $50,000. This isn’t the first time Embiid was fined for the, “lewd gesture.” The D-X crotch chop is costing him a lot of money.
The latest punishment was handed down due to the crotch chop during the 76ers’ game on October 31. Embiid
was fouled and made the shot, then he celebrated in degenerate style.
The NBA puffed their chest and chin like Sargent Slaughter to issue a statement about the fine. Embiid responded in D-X manner with disrespect for authority, “Yall better start fining the refs for doing the “Lewd”, “blocking foul” gesture since I’m not allowed to do it.” No fun league, indeed.
For reference, here is a blocking foul call from an NBA referee in the lower left side of the video.
Embiid has a history with the crotch chop. This is the fourth fine for Embiid’s D-X celebration totaling $185,000 overall ($75,000 in 2024, $35,000 in 2023, $25,000 in 2023).
The drama isn’t lost on the D-X founders. Triple H and Shawn Michaels have courted Embiid in the past to crotch chop in WWE and NXT without fines. Embiid commented in 2023, “There’s no secret that Triple H is my guy. 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.” (Hat tip to CBS Sports for the quote.)
If you’re not down with Joel Embiid’s crotch chops, then we have two words for you.
